Every beauty product has an expiration date and some are shorter-lived than others once you pop the top. Rather than wait for your products to crust, discolor or give off a strange odor, make a point to spring (and FALL!) clean your cosmetics bag every season. This will keep you organized and remind you to weed out mascaras and liquid eyeliners that potentially contain harmful bacteria (this is especially critical if you’re a contact lens wearer) or worn-out lipsticks that have become dried out with the passage of time.

Mascara and Liquid Liner: Lifespan 3 months

A wand or wet brush can harbor all sorts of bacteria, especially if they’ve been shared with others (a no-no by all accounts, but some women still take the risk). Although formulations typically contain preservatives that are gentle enough for use near the eyes, the fact that they are continually exposed to germs gives them the shortest shelf life of all. A word to the wise: Don’t ever add water or saliva to dried-out mascara or you will introduce even more bacteria to the equation. 

TIP:  If you have a mascara brush you especially are fond of that is hard to toss – you can reuse if you sterilze by cleaning in hot soapy water and cleaning with alcohol – then dip into your brand new mascara tube to apply.  Make sure you put the original brush back into the tube and close tightly to save product – and reclean the mascara brush and dry on paper towel daily.  Toss these after a few months of use. 

Foundation: Lifespan 1 to 2 years

Your foundation is only as clean as your fingers, which you are usually forced to dip into formulas that are packaged in pots or open bottles. Use a clean foundation brush or sponge to apply your makeup – after transfering to the back of your hand or a clean palette for optimum sterile use.  Tubes, pumps and sprays are ideal too.  It’s the “double dipping” into your products that contaminate and spread germs.

Powder Blushes and Shadows: Lifespan 2 to 3 years

These don’t harbor as many microorganisms as their liquid counterparts, but the applicators, brushes and sponges you use to apply them should be cleaned once a week with a mild shampoo.  I like disposable eyeshadow applicators and qtip eyeshadow applicators you use once and toss.

Lipstick, Gloss and Liner: Lifespan 2 to 3 years

You’ll know when your most loyal lip products have gone sour—they’ll dry out, discolor and change smell or taste. You might wear out your liner before it goes bad, since sharpening it regularly helps germs from accumulating.

Nail Polish: Lifespan 1 year

Some say the trick to resuscitating old nail polish is to mix it with a little nail polish remover (one of few beauty products that lasts indefinitely) to thin it out. We say buy a new bottle and save yourself the trouble of dealing with a clumpy, separated mess.

Perfume and Body Fragrances: Lifespan 1 to 6 years

An acidic, vinegar-like smell is a sign that a scent should be tossed in the trash, unless you like smelling like salad. Spray-on formulas generally last longer because less air enters the bottle (air causes a fragrance’s composition to change).

***To get the most mileage from your investments, store them away from heat—a cool, dry place far removed from the sun is your best bet. And, of course, always recycle the containers whenever possible.

Makeup 101 for Women Over 40 and beyond

by Celebrity Makeup Artist Lisa Johnson – www.lisajohnsonmua.com

Using a foundation brush (I favor Lancome and Chanel’s foundation brushes) or a sponge (the softer the better), blend the makeup downward and outward. Make sure to blend the makeup down the jaw line as well so that there is no obvious makeup line. Tinted moisturizers are great for dry or maturing skin because they don’t seep into lines and wrinkles and provide light sheer coverage. You can make your own with a favorite non greasy moisturizer mixed in with your favorite foundation.

Step 2: Concealer

For dark circles, use a concealer that is slightly lighter than your foundation. NOT WHITE or too light, as this gives you the racoon look of decades past. Take special care with the skin under the eye by dabbing gently, as it is very delicate. I highly suggest using a concealer brush made specifically for this purpose – you get spot on coverage and don’t tear at or rub your eye area too hard (again Chanel or Lancome make some of the best brushes). For concealing facial discolorations such as freckles, blemishes, or red spots, use a concealer that matches your natural skin tone and blend the edges well.

 

 

Step 3: Powder  

After you apply your foundation and concealer, dust a light layer of loose powder over the entire face with a large powder brush. My absolute favorite is colorless loose powder you can find from Cinema Secrets or Camera Ready (found at www.camerareadycosmetics.com). This sets the foundation without making the skin look over-powdered like a sponge or powder puff can. You can use pressed colorless as well, with a brush – but understand that pressed has more oils and binders than loose.

Step 4: Eyeshadow

First, set the eyelid with a primer of your choice (I like Laura Mercer, Lancome and Mary Kay) and a flesh toned shadow over the entire lid (beige works well, no shimmer). Then, select a deeper color to shade the crease starting from the outer edge using a windshield wiper motion. Remember, lighter colors bring things forward and highlight and darker colors recede and add depth and shading. Therefore, if you have drooping eyes, shade the area right above the crease of your eyelid where it is drooping making sure to blend the outer edge of the shadow up and out. Practice your application and blend well; the goal is not to have obvious edges of color. If you do have trouble blending, a little tip I have is: dip your eyeshadow brush into your loose or pressed powder and SMUDGE out any obvious lines of shadow with your powder.

 

 

Step 5: Eyeliner

  

 

I like using powder with an angled liner brush (art stores carry great angled brushes and MAC also has one I like) to line the eyes. It contributes to a softer line that isn’t too harsh. Position the brush as close to the lash line as possible starting with the inside of the eye and ending the line with a slight lift of the shadow. This will also lift the eye.

Generally, the line along the lower lashes should be thinner and less-intense. To make the eyes look bigger, only line the outer 2/3rds of the lower lash line and blend well.

 

 

You can line the inner ridge of the eyes with a flesh toned liner. This will also open up the eyes and give a more youthful look. Please REFRAIN from using dark pencils inside your eye as this is VERY HARSH and hard and closes IN the eye area.

Step 6: Mascara

Lashes start to thin over time. To add fullness to the lashes, wiggle in black powder eye shadow into the roots of the lashes using a flat angle brush. Curl lashes and apply mascara beginning as close to the root as possible and wiggling your brush up and out. You can opt to go without mascara on the bottom lashes, which will keep the focus on the top part of the eye (which is what we want). You can also try a brown waterproof on the lower lashes – much less harsh than black.

 

 

If you need extra thickening, you can use a lash primer before using your mascara.

Step 7: Eyebrows 

Eyebrows also get thinner and loose their color over time. I like to shape the brows using a powder shadow. It looks much more subtle and natural. For darker hair, use a color that is slightly lighter than your hair color. For lighter hair, use a color that is slightly darker than your hair color. Apply the powder color using an angled brush, working in the direction the hair grows. Start in the middle of the brow and work out and up very lightly…if you start at the front of the brow you tend to OVER darken this area. There are great stencils to use as well, just position them correctly.

 

For parts of the eyebrows that are lacking hair, use a blonde or soft brown pencil to define the shape and then set with the proper color powder. This will help the color adhere to the skin.

Step 8: Blush

I like using a cream blush on more mature skin because it’s more hydrating and it looks more natural. If you do decide to use cream blush, remember to do it before you set your foundation with powder. Once you use powder, you have to continue using powder; otherwise it will not blend well. If you want your cheek color to last longer, you can layer it with a powder cheek color after you have set the cream cheek color with your translucent powder. Start light and sheer and add more….if you apply too much, buff it out with a bit of loose colorless powder. I advise to stay away from too PINK or too RED…corals, peaches BRONZES and roses are kind to use.

Blend the color up towards your temples…this will give a lifting look to the overall face. Remember to blend well using a clean sponge so there are no hard edges.

Step 9: Lipstick and Lip Liner

To keep your lipstick from running into the fine lines you can first apply foundation to your lips and then set it with your translucent powder using a clean sponge. Then, apply the lipstick with a lip brush making sure to stop slightly before the edge of the lips. The darker the lipstick, the OLDER you look…but do NOT use frost or highly shiney glosses. Cream, satins and some with a bit of shimmer work well. Reds, russets, wines, etc in a darker tone are great if they are not MATTE…you need a more sheer cream or gloss to use these well. Don’t be afraid of color on your lips.

To make lips appear larger, highlight the center of the lips with a shimmer gloss.

Good brushes are essential for applying makeup!!

Remember to knock the excess powder off the brush before you apply the color to your face.  

 

 

Use the right brushes for the right areas…you will get the job done quicker at a fraction of the time. Make sure to hold the brush downward when washing them to avoid loosening the glue and let them air dry at the edge of the counter over night before using them again.

If you take care of your brushes, they will last a very long time.

And finally, have fun with makeup!! Everyone can look better with a few key elements and the right tools.

 

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Lisa Johnson is a celebrity makeup artist working in Nashville and nationally. She is much sought after for her clean beauty makeup and keen attention to detail. www.lisajohnsonmua.com

 

 

 

 

 

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You Can Have Great Brows!

As a professional makeup artist,  I get a lot of questions about brow shaping.  Nothing ages a face more than thin, overplucked brows – here are some general guidelines and tips to help you get a more perfect brow.                                                ~ lisa johnson :: makeup artist

Determine the Correct Shape

Start the eyebrow shaping process by determining the correct design for your face and features. You will need an eyeliner pencil to start. First hold the pencil against the side of your nose, vertically, straight up to where it meets the brow. This is the spot where your eyebrow should start. As a guideline, make a small mark with the pencil there on your skin.

Next you will turn the pencil at an angle, holding it against the nostril, so that it crosses over the center of your eye. Notice where the pencil now intersects the eyebrow, this is where the peak of your arch should start. Make another mark on your skin as a guide here.

Lastly, keep moving the pencil at an angle against your nostril until it meets the edge of the outer eye. Where the end of the pencil now meets the eyebrow is your eyebrow’s ending point. Make another mark on your skin here.

Using these three marks on both eyes provides you a general guideline on how the shape of your eyebrow should be based on the shape of your face.

The other consideration for the correct eyebrow shape is the thickness. Ideally, the impact of your eyebrows should balance with the rest of your face and hair. If you have thick hair with larger facial features, your eyebrows should be thicker and more dramatic. In contrast, if you have thin hair and petite features, your eyebrows should be more subtle.

Tweezing

Always trim before tweezing, not after, as you might end up removing some hairs that just needed to be trimmed. Start by brushing the eyebrow hairs straight up with your brow brush, and then trim any stray hairs that extend past the upper brow line. Next, brush all the hairs straight down and trim the hairs extending past the brow line underneath. After you have done your trimming, brush all the hairs back into place.

Tweezing can be a painful process for some, so to ease the discomfort, you should pluck after a steamy shower or a warm face washing. This will help the pores to open and enable the hairs to remove easier. If you are particularly sensitive, slightly numbing the area with ice before tweezing will also help.

Always make sure that you have good lighting when eyebrow shaping. Using the previous method for ensuring the proper shape, follow the marks and tweeze the hairs in the direction they grow. Move back and forth between the brows after every couple of plucks, to ensure proper symmetry.

Filling in the Brow Line

For those of you with sparse eyebrows, tweezing is not necessary. Instead, you will need to build your eyebrows back to a proper shape. Selecting an appropriate pencil color is crucial, so test a few at the makeup counter to be sure the color is right. One of my favorite brands of pencil is Lancome Le Crayon Poudre.  Many artists prefer to use an angled brush with brow/eyeshadow powder, myself included.  You can also find eyebrow stencils and kits to help guide you with the correct line.  These come in many shapes and sizes – Eyebrowz  makes great stencils and kits for this purpose.

Specific Tips

• For pale or thin eyebrows, try tinting as it looks more natural than an eyebrow pencil. Just be sure to use a professional, licensed cosmetologist, and never try tinting at home. You don’t want to risk your eyesight, just for beauty!
• Embrace the natural shape of your eyebrows and don’t try to change them completely. You are born with the correct eyebrow shape for your face, so let it guide you.
• Preview the look of your eyebrows before shaping by hiding the hairs with a white eyeliner pencil.
• Avoid overdoing eyebrow shaping, as less is truly better. Thin eyebrows tend to make your face look instantly older.
• Tweezing is usually more effective than waxing as the wax process can lead to a change in the hair direction and skin texture if overused.
• Ultimately the point of eyebrow shaping is to adjust the viewer’s focus away from your eyebrows, to your eyes instead.
• While it is not preferred to completely change your eyebrow structure, you can make minor changes to what nature recommended in order to alter some eye appearances. For example, remove a few extra hairs from your eyebrows at the starting point to make close-set eyes appear wider. 

Hire a Professional

If you are still nervous about eyebrow shaping, consider a professional brow session. The technique is not usually an expensive procedure, depending on the thickness and amount of hair to groom.  At the very least, you can pay for one session and then simply pluck the stray hairs at home for maintenance. 

lisa johnson :: makeup artist        www.lisajohnsonmua.com