Foundation Tips for Mature and Young Skin

Foundation is one of the most complex beauty products because of the wide variety of formulas, textures, and ways to apply it. However, there are easy ways to achieve that fresh, glowy finish no matter what your age is. Follow these 6 simple tips to do a perfect foundation: 

1. Prep Your Skin

The first rule to applying foundation is to make sure that your skin is well-hydrated. It helps foundation to glide on more smoothly. For mature skin, applying moisturizer beforehand will instantly plump up the skin and make fine lines less visible. Primer is a skippable step unless you have to minimize pores and correct redness, or if your makeup has to last through the day.

2. Choose the Right Foundation

Acne is a common skin problem, especially for younger people, but that doesn’t mean they cannot use foundation. Choose a product with labels such as "non-oily,” “hypoallergenic” and “noncomedogenic”, which does not irritate the skin and improves complexion at the same time. If you do not have acne problems, choose a foundation that caters for the needs of your skin, such as a hydrating or oil-controlling formula.

Nowadays, many foundations are formulated with anti-aging and face-lifting benefits, which are ideal for mature women. An important tip for choosing foundation is to pick according to seasons. In winter, you may need a cream foundation which is more moisturizing. In summer, skin tends to become oily and a light foundation or even a tinted moisturizer will do.

3. Find Your Shade

To find the perfect shade, test foundation on your jawline and check it in the daylight. If the color is correct, it should disappear without blending. You can ask a beauty adviser at a store to help you pick the perfect color. 

4. Apply It the Right Way

The best way to apply foundation is to blend thin layers into the skin. Take a dab of foundation and apply on the centre of the face, round the nose, mouth areas, chin and centre of the forehead, then blend it outward until it becomes thinner, which helps achieve a much more natural finish.

You may use fingers, a brush or a sponge to apply foundation, depending on the format of the foundation and coverage you want. For thinner foundations and a little coverage, use your fingers. For compact foundation, a sponge is preferred. To get an airbrushed look, use a brush or the Beautyblender Cosmetic Sponge, a cult favorite among the makeup pros.

5. Conceal after Foundation

Applying concealer after foundation can prevent using more concealer than you actually need. Choose a color that is one shade lighter than your skin, as too light will give a fake look. Use a small, pointy brush to cover the darkest part of under-eye circles, usually below the inner eye corners. Dab on a bit of concealer on other skin flaws or blemishes that aren’t covered by the foundation as well. 

6. Finish off with Loose Powder 

Use a translucent or light-reflecting loose powder which helps give a luminous touch and control shine. Pour some powder on the lid of the container and dip it with a powder blush. Tap the brush over the lid to remove any excess. Gently dust your face with the powder, starting from the forehead, down to the cheekbones, bridge of your nose, and the chin. 

Choosing the right foundation and applying it the right way are keys to getting that fresh, youthful glow. Do you have any secret tips in creating a flawless look? Let us know in the comments!

How to get that Pop Star Look

We all know the power of makeup – it can transform an most people into a superstar. With the increasing popularity of K-Pop music, Korean style makeup has become a big trend recently. In the West, classic winged eyeliner and contouring are some of the favorite tricks for celebrities. Today, we are going to show you how you can do your makeup like a star. 

Korean Pop Stars’ Makeup

The emphasis of Korean star makeup is a moisturized, radiant and natural complexion. On top of that, the K-Pop stars like to draw thin, upward eyeliner to accentuate their eyes. They also prefer straight, thick eyebrows and gradient lip makeup.

1. Foundation: To get that dewy, glowy look, after priming your face, use a BB cushion and gently pad it over your face. It will give a sheer, luminous finish you often see in Korean singers and actresses. Another method is to apply 1-2 drops of face oil over your regular foundation, focusing on the cheekbone and T-zone, thus giving a radiant complexion. 

2. Eyeshadow: The Korean eye makeup emphasizes a simple, natural look. Pick a light orange or champagne shimmery eyeshadow and apply it all over the eye lids. 

3. Eyeliner: This is the essential part of Korean star makeup. Using a pencil eyeliner, draw and dot on the inner eyelids. Then, taking a liquid eyeliner, draw a thin line on the upper eyelids and extend it upward for about 1cm from the outer corners of the eyes. This will give a smiling look to your eyes.

4. Mascara: Choose a volumizing mascara and apply it on your upper lashes to create mesmerizing volume. Follow by lengthening mascara on the lower lashes for bigger-looking eyes. 

5. Eyebrows: Thick, soft and straight brows are desired by Koreans because they give a gentle appearance that is youthful and baby-like. Use an eyebrow pencil to draw straight lines on the front and bottom edges of your brows. Then, fill in the eyebrow with brow powder or a brow pencil. 

6. Blush: Since a natural complexion is preferred, the Korean stars usually put on a hint of pink on their faces only. Use a pale pink or purple pink blush and apply it on the apples of your cheeks. 

7. Lips: This is another focus of the K-Pop makeup look. The gradient lip look is a huge trend in Korea right now. Dot a red or pink lip tint / lipstick on the inner side of your lips. Smooth the color out a bit by dapping it with your fingers. Be careful not to dap it on the outer edge of your lips, otherwise you will lose the gradient effect.

Western Pop Stars’ Makeup

When talking about Western Pop Stars’ Makeup, we are generally referring to the US. Pop singers such as Katy Perry and Taylor Swift are often seen with their signature winged eyeliner, bright red lips and a perfectly highlighted and contoured face. Let’s see how they do it:

Winged eyeliner: After applying your foundation, you can move on to the eyeliner. Winged eyeliner is a classic look and yet still very popular today. You will need an angled brush and an eyeliner gel. Using your brush, draw an upward line from the outer corner of your eye. Then, apply the eyeliner close to your lash line. Join up these two lines and fill in the gaps with more eyeliner gel, and you’re done. 

Contouring & Highlighting: Contouring can help enhance the cheekbones and slim your face while highlighting can give a gorgeous glow to your face.

To contour, use a shading powder that is one shade darker than your skin, and apply on the each side of your nose (to make it look slimmer), under the jawline (to slim the face), around the hairline (to warm the face) and the underside of the cheekbone (to strengthen your bone structure).

To highlight, choose a highlighting product that is similar to the color of your skin and without noticeable sparkles, which can look unnatural. Highlight the bridge and tip of your nose, the high point of cheekbone (to define the cheek), the area between the brows, and the eyebrow arches.

Follow with smokey eyes for bigger eyes and your favorite blush.

Red lips: red lips and winged liner are perfect match and the latest trend among Western celebrities and models. Fill in your lips with a red lip liner of your choice and apply a lipstick in the same shade.

 

With these few simple tricks, you can create a celebrity-like makeup look easily. Do you have any tips on doing a glamorous star makeup? Share with us in the comments!

The Perfect Eyebrow Shape For Your Face

Having your eyebrows done right will not only help bring out your eyes, but also improve your face’s overall symmetry. Learn about which eyebrow shape suits your face and look younger and beautiful.

Round Face
If your face is round, you should make your eyebrows very angular as a rounder face lacks definition. High-arched and perfectly angled brows can define your facial bone structure.

Square Face
To soften the angularity of a square jaw, rounded eyebrows are the way to go. But beware of making your eyebrows appear too round, as you do not want to create a rainbow shape.

Long Face
A long face makes your features look vertically stretched out. It is important to extend the tails of eyebrows beyond the outer corner of the eyes to play up the horizontal features and balance the face shape.

Heart-Shaped Face
Due to a petite jaw line and emphasis on the upper part of the face, it is best to keep eyebrows thin, well-manicured and exceptionally groomed. The tight eyebrows on the top part of the face will serve to balance a smaller chin.

Oval Face

For this well-proportioned face shape, classic, balanced eyebrows are a perfect choice.

The right eyebrows will make you look fresh, rested, and more attractive. Raise an eyebrow with perfectly groomed brows!

The Miraculous Pitera™: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

As we age, signs of aging such as wrinkles, dryness, dullness and sagginess start to appear on our skin. When combined with environmental factors like UV rays and harsh weather, the problems could become more serious. This is when a powerful skincare product comes in helpful.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, also known as the Miracle Water, has over 90% Pitera™ - the miracle ingredient discovered by SK-II scientists in a sake brewery, where they chanced upon the soft and youthful hands of aged sake brewers. A rigorous search of over 350 kinds of yeast was conducted before the unique yeast strain that held the secret to crystal clear skin was found.

Pitera™ is a clear liquid derived from natural fermentation process, which is full of vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids; enhancing the skin’s rejuvenation process. Used as the second point of your ritual, this Essence gently exfoliates the face to improve skin’s texture and clarity for a crystal-clear complexion.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence works magic in a short time. After just 14 days, your skin is visibly transformed in 5 aspects: spots are less visible, appearance of wrinkles is reduced, skin texture is more refined, firmness is improved, and radiance is beautifully elevated.

Beautiful skin starts with proper cleansing and using effective products. Try out this much-loved and best-selling signature item today!

Post-Party Skincare Tips

The festive season involves a lot of partying, drinking and lack of sleep – all which can take their tolls on your skin. Now it’s time to get your skin back in shape. We’ve compiled 4 tips to help you regain soft, refreshed skin.

Tip 1: Purify Your Skin
We understand that you just want to flop into bed after a night out partying. However, wearing makeup while you are asleep can cause irritation and block pores. Use a mild cleansing milk product to cleanse your face, or if you just want your bed after a few drinks, face wipes come in handy too.

Tip 2: Hydrate Your Skin
Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on your body and skin. A lack of moisture will make your skin look parched and lifeless. Drink lots and lots of water for several days after a party and if possible, right before bed, and keep your skin moisturized with hydrating cream or anti-oxidant face oil. 

Tip 3: Use a Targeted Mask
Masks are a great tool to get your complexion back to its pre-party state. Start with a hydrating mask to replenish moisture. If you're dealing with breakouts (which can result from too many indulgences), opt instead for a blemish-busting mask.

Tip 4: Stay natural
If you have to attend an event after partying, try to avoid heavy makeup. Instead, apply a tinted moisturizer that would give a toned and refreshed look to your face. Also, avoid eye makeup as it would further deteriorate the condition of the skin around the eyes.

So there we go – 4 simple after-party tricks to keep you in good shape for the next holiday season!