Happy MakeupLicious! Forever-Young makeup tutorial.

The art of applying makeup is one of the oldest traits of civilized groups of people and according to Dr. Richard Russell there is a science in the art of applying makeup.  An assistant professor of Psychology at Gettysburg College, he has deduced that a face appears female due to facial contrast and application of makeup enhances this contrast making one appear more attractive. Female skin tone is also lighter than male skin tone, which supports the use of foundation that evens out skin tone and in some case makes the skin appear lighter.

Plucking of eyebrows, applying eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara darkens the eyes and lashes. Lipstick and lip liners darken the lips giving the face an immediate feminine appeal and thus making it more attractive. Rouge/blush applied artfully on the cheeks give a healthy rosy cheek look.

As part of our ‘Happy MakeupLicious’ series, we are starting a sequence of posts on the art of applying makeup like a pro. Our featured writer is Muskaan Ahuja, a gorgeous Certified Professional Make Up Artist and Special Effects from ESMOD University Dubai.

Forever Young makeup tutorial.

You don’t need to undergo expensive and not to mention painful laser surgery to get a facelift or a youthful glow. A few clever makeup tricks will have you looking years younger and beautiful in 5 simple steps.

Muskaan has charted 5 simple steps to incorporate into your daily makeup routine that will have you glowing with confidence.

Step 1:  A good foundation.

Skin is the largest organ of your body and the one most prone to ageing as it is constantly battles harsh weather, chemicals and pollutants while it protecting your body. It deserves your care and respect. Fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, irregularity of pigmentation (age spots), and dryness are the tell tale signs of aging. Good genes are a major factor for youthful skin, however good lifestyle choices and makeup can help minimise the harsh effects of time.

Choosing a good foundation is the fundamental step in the art of makeup.

A good foundation has the following characteristics:

• A light coverage formula: heavy foundations tend to make skin sag. A light formula spreads smoothly with out clumping and is gentle on the delicate facial skin.
• Evens out your skin tone: Foundation should match your skin tone and mask age spots giving the appearance of youth.
• Spreads smoothly instead of just filling up fine lines. If your foundation tends to fill up fine lines you will end up with skin that looks wrinkled. You need to experiment to find one that smoothens out your skin and tackles the appearance of wrinkles.
• Addresses your skin’s specific needs. A dry skin looks aged and dull. A good foundation that moisturises without caking is what you should lookout for. If your skin is oily you need to find a foundation that isn’t oil based. If you have combination skin, oily T zone and dry rest of the area, you might need to experiment with perhaps two types of foundation. Needless to say money spent on good high quality foundation is worth it.
• Ensuring that your foundation has a built in SPF of at least 15-20 will protect your skin from further harmful affects of the sun.

 

Step 2- CONCEAL AND REVEAL

• Pick a concealer two shades lighter than your foundation.
• Place three dots under the eye where the shadows are.
• Gently pat product into skin, working it into the inner corners, which tend to darken with age.
• This will mask the dark circles and tell tale signs of a hectic life.

Step 3 – OPEN YOUR EYES.

•  Dust some shadow in a taupe or stone colour over the lid.
• Apply a highlighting formula under the arch to give the appearance of a mini brow ‘lift’.
• Finally apply two coats of mascara to top lashes.
• If you use an eyelash curler you will want to curl your lashes before you apply your mascara.

Step 4 – LET THE CHEEKS GLOW

• Applying blusher to the apples of the cheeks gives skin a younger glow.
• Cream formulas give skin a dewy look, but you’ll need to touch up throughout the day, as they aren’t very long lasting.
• As most skin tends to dry out with age, cream blushers are a good choice and are best-applied using fingertips.

Step 5 – PLUMP UP YOUR POUT

• Unfortunately, lips tend to thin with age.
• Counteract this with a lip-plumping formula.
• They contain a special plant complex that boosts hyaluronic acid production, instantly restoring the plumpness.

Lastly,

A Smile is the best make-up you can wear every day.

Happy MakeupLicious!!

Muskaan Ahuja (AKA Tina) Dubai based MUA

 

Visit my page:  http://www.facebook.com/MuskaanAhujaTinaMua

 

Professional Make-up and Special effects Artist.

 

Email: tin_195656@hotmail.com / TahujaMUA@gmail.com

Tel: +971 55 99585856

Aussie style icon- Robyn Lawley

Robyn Lawley is an Aussie style icon!

Robyn Lawley is a Plus size fashion model and the first to appear in a campaign for Ralph Lauren. This gorgeous 6 ft 2 in size 12 model was Sydney Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People of the year award for 2011.

A foodie she has her own food blog Robyn Lawley Eats (http://robynlawleyeats.tumblr.com/ ) and is slated to host a cooking TV show on Australian network Foxtel.

A healthy revolution for fashion and modelling! Bring it in Robyn!

The # 1 Rule for confidence is to be yourself!

Young Bohémienne: Natalie Clifford Barney (1875-1972) at the age of 10 (painting by Carolus-Duran) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I meet so many women who are uncomfortable in their own skin; after all there is a fine line between demure and abashed. While one is a character trait the other is a result of one’s perception of self, usually a negative one. The last time I felt awkward and cringed in my own skin was in high school, in my attempt to be cool, I wore a tight-fitting cocktail dress. Black lace and a bright yellow bow was all it took to make me feel like a turkey on show! Thank God for my father, a man of principle and obviously taste, who forbade me to walk out of the house looking like the bride of Frankenstein. As any normal teenager, I rolled my eyes and protested, but secretly I was so happy that he made me change. My ego didn’t let me publicly admit my fashion faux pas but that day I learned a valuable lesson, never try to be someone else!

It’s one thing to be inspired and quite another to erase one’s own identity and absorb someone else’s persona. My inspiration by the likes of those gorgeous Bohemian style divas leads me to don flowing skirts, but it’s still me underneath the boho skirt. Just like my skin tone, which is brown, cream and uneven, my fashion sense isn’t defiantly anything but always comfortable.

Lace shirts with frayed denim shorts and gold jewellery – that’s me! Hair colour that changes more frequently than the weather courtesy global warming, fashion style that is constantly evolving, adapting, and always experimenting that’s who I am. What about you? Is your personality hiding in the closet or tucked away in the back of your wardrobe? Waiting in the sidelines for the approval of peers, fashion magazines, friends, family, the cat next door?

In one of my earlier posts I had written that the one must have accessory for a plus size woman is confidence, I reiterate: the number one rule for confidence is to be yourself!

Google

Classy & wild!

Reblogged from fashion blog - The Bargain Boutique:

Classy & wild! by stylebybb featuring black handbags

Wild Child classy!

My dream outfit!

Reblogged from fashion blog - The Bargain Boutique:

My dream outfit! by stylebybb featuring animal print scarves

It's the season to be Green! Fashion, trends & style.

Butterfly dreaming!

Reblogged from fashion blog - The Bargain Boutique:

Butterfly dreaming! by stylebybb featuring a diamond earring

Butterfly dreaming, spring fashion!

Plus size fashion: Saluting the Plus size fashion divas!

Plus size diva

I just got chastised, by a plus size friend on the blogosphere. Apparently I don’t know what I am talking about. Only a ‘Fatshion’ blogger knows what its like and has the right to comment on plus size fashion.  In case you are wondering (I know I was), fat is not used in a negative context meaning something to be shed or loathed but an acceptance of being real and perfectly normal.

Plus size shopping is hard; the concept of just waltzing in a mall and picking an outfit in your size is apparently unheard of. The entire fashion industry is tailored (literally) for size 18 and below. So what do you do when you are a size 24? The few brands that do cater to plus size fashion have limited styles and work from the standpoint that if you are a plus size you are definitely 9 feet tall. So what do you do when you are short and fat? Love vintage or retro or basically have a personal style? What about if you are plus size and pregnant? Try finding clothes that fit a plus size with an hour glass figure, apparently if you are that big you are not allowed to have a tiny waist!?

Also, you are penalised for seeking out plus size fashion by being charged exorbitant amounts, not mention the fact that the designs are inspired by what granny used to wear.  Stylish shoes that fit are non-existent and there is a conception that plus size women don’t need hosiery??!!

What was I thinking when I wrote a post on how to be a plus size fashion diva? Did I think that plus size women have no sense of fashion and no sense of style? Except for the positive body image message, I apparently scored very low on all other counts. To that I say my humble apologies! It just hit home what an international conspiracy there is against curvy women.

To all the plus size women who overcome all these hurdles and still rock it, I salute you!  You gals are true divas, your constant vigil for stylish outfits, your online scavenger hunts, your years of experimentation and dedication to fashion is truly inspiring!

I end with a comment that made me smile, “Offcourse we are in shape, round is a shape!”

 

How to be a Plus size fashion Diva!

plus size and sexy

At the cost of sounding repetitive, let me reiterate, real women come in real sizes. Don’t be a football to media or society; every woman is beautiful. I know a lot of extremely slender women who hate their bodies, many resort to breast augmentation and one friend even wears padded underwear to fill out her jeans. They feel no consolation when I tell them they have super model figures. The truth is women and men come in all shapes and sizes, and it has nothing to do with beauty.  The media has created a hype of the perfect body, flawless wrinkle free skin, pencil slim body, extra long legs, a convex behind and an ample bosom. Show me one woman who actually has those dimensions and no Barbie doesn’t count, after all she is plastic!

What is attainable is a personal fashion style that rocks. Size and shape have nothing to do with a fashion diva; a stylish wardrobe is what matters.  There is a lot of talk in fashion circles about out dated clothes and how you need to rid/donate old clothes. I don’t agree with that rational, fashion is cyclic, what goes out comes right back in (retro, 60s, vintage, etc.). Unless the garment has lost it’s mojo (yeah baby!) there is no sensible reason to part with it expect to shop more and line the pockets of the retail stores.  I still wear jeans that are over 7 years old, they are frayed, comfortable and Über cool paired with a funky tee, aviators and junk jewellery.

What I will recommend is that you discard ill-fitting clothes. Even if you are a size 4, if you wear a size 3 you are going to end up with a muffin top. Wear your size, don’t appeal to your vanity and squeeze into a smaller size, it doesn’t flatter your body. Same with intimates, make sure that your underwear is the right size, the right fit, tight garments over time can leave permanent groves and fat gets deposited around it creating unsightly bulges. Love your body, there is nothing more sensual that wearing clothes that are comfortable, stylish and flatter your body.

 

English: Muffin top (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

As a plus size, a figure-hugging outfit is not desirable unless you are extremely well toned or are comfortable wearing a total body contour compression garment. Decide on what you would like to focus on, many woman find wide necked garments flattering.

Wearing a delicate lace cardigan over a dress gives a romantic touch. Tops with detailing that are loose fitting and styled with chunky jewellery creates an extremely fashionable look.

For winter, you can’t go wrong with knee high boots, Jackets that flare at the end and scarves. Be confidant to try different styles until you find one that compliments your personality. Confidence it the one must have accessory for any diva, so pile it on. Here are a few images to inspire your inner diva.

office wear

casual chic

winter must have flare jacket

dress

cool chic

casual diva

effortless chic

 

Aussie Style Icon

Samantha harris in black playsuit, black shoes, white hat – walk (Photo credit: avlxyz)

 

Samantha Harris often referred to as Australia’s first Aboriginal supermodel is an Australian fashion model born to Aboriginal mother and German-English father.  Samantha Harris was born in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia and has Aboriginal, Dutch, English and German heritage.

 

Samantha Harris (Photo credit: Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer)

 

She is also an ambassador for the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) in Sydney. Her modelling journey whereby she has not only pursued her dream but has risen to starry heights has made her a role model for many aboriginal youth.

 

Samantha Harris, a true Aussie Style icon!

 

 

 

Body image, does yours make you mirror-phobic?

 

I was driving past a billboard on the freeway which caught my attention, enough to warrant a post. It was an advert placed by a gym and it read, ‘Invest in your body after all you can’t trade it in.’ I liked the notion that your body needs investment, in terms of time and energy to keep it healthy and well lets face it, you will be in it for as long as you live. A body, for me is an extension of my soul, a canvas if you please for my personality. Not the other way around.
So you can imagine how shocked I was when a charming woman with the most gorgeous hazel eyes and luscious curly locks seemed so self-conscious and uncomfortable. The reason, she was over weight and found the checkout lanes in the supermarket a little narrow for her comfort.
Now, I do encourage healthy living and if weight posses a health issue by all means I encourage you to diet and exercise. I recommend loosing excess pounds, in a healthy manner, but not your confidence and especially not your smile! So what if you’re lugging around a few excess kilos, cellulite, jelly belly, or whatever else seems to invert your smile.
No, I am not a size zero nor do I have a perfect body, but I know enough to not let it define me as a person. I have been there, down that road where my self-esteem was inversely proportional to my weight. I have struggled to shed 23 kilos and I am still struggling to loose that last 7 kilos to attain my healthy weight. Over the years that I have spent trying to achieve that milestone, I have learnt a lot mostly from mistakes; that beauty has nothing to do with what’s on the outside and everything to do with the inside.
A strong healthy body is more beneficial than a skinny malnourished one. As a mum of three, I need all the energy I can get and I learnt very early that strict diets that aim at rapid weight loss are an absolute no, no. I learnt to eat healthy as opposed to eating less. How were my kids, two of them girls, going to develop good eating habits when I didn’t mirror that philosophy? How could I nurture self-confidant young women if I was constantly berating myself over my excess weight? Unhealthy diets make you prone to illness and as a mum, that wasn’t an option.
Motherhood forcefully knocked some sense into me and I hope to spread the word, to aim for a healthy body as opposed to a skinny one. The media is to be blamed for showing extremely slender women as the epitome of beauty. My advice, go to an art gallery and look at how famous artists thought history depicted the goddess of beauty, Venus. Botticelli, Giorgione,

 

Vintage Postcard ~ Chubby Baby (Photo credit: chicks57)

 

Cabanel, Moore etc. have drawn a very curvaceous and a very realistic woman. She did not have unrealistic breasts or skinny thighs, her bones did not jut out and she did not have a ripped abb. What every artist’s impression of Venus did have in common was her subtle sexy demure that came from an acknowledgement that she is beautiful; her body merely represented her conviction. Yes, men find confidant women sexy!
So next time you step out, lift your head, flash that gorgeous smile and KNOW that you are beautiful. When you see yourself in the mirror don’t smash it or cringe, try to see the beauty within. Be your own number one fan and see how everyone joins your fan club.