Easy Make-Up Look that suits everyone

Here are some make-up products that are a must have for every women's make-up bag.Having a taupe and champagne eyeshadow, dark brown eyepencil and coral blush and lipstick in your make-up bag is essential as having a little black dress in your wardrobe. These shades work  perfectly on every skin tone and are suitable for every occasion.   
Champagne Eyeshadow
Champagne is great neutral shade that works great as a base eyeshadow but also can double up as a highlighter. It  particularly  looks great with all shades of brown. One of my favorite champagne eyeshadows is MAC Paint in  Bare Canvas and Bobbi Brown Shimmer Eye Shadow in Champagne.
Taupe Eyeshadow
Taupe is a mix of brown and grey, and is great for soft smokey eye that is suitable for the office and the night out in town. One of my favorite taupe eyeshadows is MAC Patina. 
Dark Brown Eyepencil
I mostly use dark brown eyepencils because black can be harsh on my eyes and make them look to dark.  My favorite dark brown pencil is MAC Coffee. 
Coral Blush and Lipstick
The vibrant shade of coral  helps to brighten the face and gives a radiant overall look. My favorite Corals are  MAC blush in Dainty and MAC lipglass in Pink Lemonade.
 

Here is the Make-Up look with all the products mentioned above: 

Products used and Step-by-Step Make-up application









Face


Step 1

MAC Body and Face Foundation C2 - Apply all over your face 

Step 2

Lacura Concealer pen - Apply the concealer where needed or like me straight down the middle of your nose, under the eyes, the forehead, cupids bow and chin

Step 3

Blend the concealer with a brush or your fingers

Step 4

NARS Illuminating Powder – set the base with the powder using a powder puff or powder brush.

Eyes

Step 5

 MAC Bare Canvas - shimmery pale champagne - Apply over the eye area as a base.

Step 6

MAC Eyeshadow in Patina - taupe with golden shimmer - apply to the eyelid with your fingers and blend until there are no harsh lines visible. 

Step 7

MAC eyepencil in Coffee – dark brown shade - apply a thick line on to the upper lash line.

Step 8

Blend the eyeliner out with a pencil  brush.

Step 9

Apply the same eye pencil to the lower lashes.

Step 10

And again, blend the eyeliner out with a pencil brush. 

Step 11

Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil in Midnight Cowboy - pale shimmery champagne – apply to the inner corner of the eye and on to the lower waterline.

Step 12

No 7 Intense Volume Mascara – Black - Apply two coats of black mascara.

Step 13

Brush the brows upwards and fill out with eye shadow or brow gel.

Lips and Cheeks

Step 14

MAC Blush in Dainty – shimmery pink coral blush – apply on the apples of  your cheeks with a blush brush in sweeping motion aiming towards the temples.

Step 15

MAC Lipglass in Pink Lemonade – soft pink peachy coral – apply to your lips.

And that’s an easy  make-up look, perfect for everyday and everyone! Hope you liked it!

xxx Marina

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How to wear bright pink lipstick

 Bright pink lips and nude eyes have been spotted on the Giles Spring 2013 Fashion and this is a my favorite look at the moment.  Bright lips are fun and young, and just perfect for spring.  For this looked I used my new Maybelline Lipstick in 902 Fuchsia Flash , a vivid fuchsia shade and to add interest to the look, I applied a pale gold eyeshadow to my lids, but still kept the eyes clean and nude. 

Maybelline Lipstick in 902 Fuchsia Flash

Easy Green Smokey Eye for the St Patrick's Day Party

St. Patrick's Day, a traditional Irish holiday which is celebrated each year on the 17^th of  March  is approaching and maybe you are joining this festive day by rocking your best bright green outfit paired with bright green make-up.

Here is simple green smokey eye make-up tutorial for you, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. 

Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation

Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation is my favorite foundation at the moment. First time I tried it, I was really surprised that a less expensive foundation could deliver such great results. The name is really perfect, it does actually makes me look more awake and it  gives my skin the most gorgeous glow without being shiny. It gives a flawless  finish with a medium coverage, but can be built up to full coverage if needed. It spreads easily, blends perfectly into my skin. 103 True Yvory is an excellent colour match for me, and I would say it will suit most medium skin tones.  If you have very pale complexion skin, I suggest going for the lightest shade. 

In this video you can also see what the foundation looks like applied. 

Cost in Ireland Euro 11.90. The foundation is available at Boots. 

All in all this is an amazing foundation for the price.  Everyone please go out there and get this! Seriously!

Have you tried Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation? Did you like it? Please let me know in the comments!

xxx Marina

Neal's Yard Beauty Sleep Concentrate

When it comes to skincare, I am not a loyal customer. I am always on a look-out for the next best thing that will give the perfect skin. 
One of the products that I recently discovered and now I can live without is the Neal's Yard Beauty Sleep Concentrate. It has a very relaxing and sleep inducing scent with a blend of ylang ylang, orange, patchouli, clary sage and cypress.  It's like a sleep miracle, I could fall asleep the minute I apply it, and I sleep very deep after and it makes my skin look like as it had eight hours sleep next morning.  Also from  the very first application I could tell the difference in the softness and smoothness of my skin. The texture is so light and absorbs into my skin very quickly. The glass bottle has a pump applicator and therefore really hygienic to use. A little goes a long way, so only three pumps cover my whole face. Gently massage onto skin with a light, upwards, circular motion.

 Neal's Yard Beauty Sleep Concentrate  is suitable for all skin types and is 90% organic and it  doesn't contains any parabens, silicones, mineral oils, and artificial fragrances. Neal's Yard have conducted clinical trials on this product and have found that it increased the skin's moisture by up to 98% over 12 hours. 

Benefits in a nutshell

• Supports skin’s night time recovery 
• Helps prevent premature skin ageing 
• Replenishes and refreshes 
• Increases skin's moisture levels by up to 98% over 12 hours

Price in Ireland: € 37.00

I thoroughly recommend this to everyone.  I also love theirs rose hip oil which I use for my daily face massage... watch the video below!

Have you ever tried Neal's Yard Beauty Sleep Concentrate?

xxx Marina

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Makeup Forever Single Eyelashes no 155 - Review

My favorite false eyelashes are the Makeup Forever Single Eyelashes no 155. These individual lashes look  more natural than strip lashes, and you can apply them wherever you want and as many  as you want. Once you get the hang of applying them they are an absolute breeze. They don't look false at all, it just looks like I've got naturaly lush lashes combined with a great mascara.The really  give you great lash volume and really open up your eyes. 

The kit comes with a lash glue and 3 rows of black medium flare lashes. All the lashes are knotted, which can be covered up easily with eyeliner. The glue  dries to black color, which will additionally darken your lash line.  

The application is fairly easy. Pick one up with your tweezers, dip it into the glue, and drop it on exactly where you want it. Then press on your lash line with the back of the tweezers. It helps if your looking down into a mirror. To help the lashes really bond to your natural lashes, pinch your natural and false eyelashes together between your fingers firmly. 

With good application and good aftercare, the individual eyelashes can last up to one week. To remove them, lift the outside edge of the eyelashes and pull gently. 

Cost in Ireland € 15.50.

Have you tried the Makeup Forever Single Eyelashes yet? What are you favorite single lashes? 

xxx Marina

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Case Studies: Electrical Facial-Skin Treatments ( ITEC and CIBTAC)

These Case Studies have passed both ITEC and CIBTAC Beauty Specialist Exams. I've published these case studies only as a guideline, so please do yourself a favour and do not copy them, but rather try to come up with your own version. When you write your own case studies, you also learn at the same time and that in return will help you with your exam papers.



Case Study 1Client profile:Abby is 23 years old and works a beauty consultant.  Since she work in the beauty industry, she wants her skin to look young and good as long as possible.  Her skin is in great condition, but sometimes she feels that the aircondiotioning in her work environment slightly dehydrates her skin.  With today’s treatment she is taking preventative measures.
Treatment details:     
·         For the first treatment, I choose a Vacuum Suction in order to improve elimination and absorption of waste products through the lymphatic system. Vacuum Suction machine will deep cleanse the skin by removing skin blockages and congestion. It will also improve skin texture thorough desquamation, nourish the skin and improve colour by stimulation. It will also maintain skin firmness, hydrate and moisturize the skin.
·         Then I choose the Faradism as a second treatment, which uses electrical pulses to contract muscles in the face producing an overall toned effect and will defiantly delay the ageing process.
Treatment 1: Vacuum Suction·         I helped Abby on the bed and made sure she and comfortable.
·         I then asked Abby to remove any jewellery and put it in a safe place.
·      I explained to Abby how the vacuum suction machine works and what benefits it will have for her skin.
·         I started the treatment by double cleansing and toning  Abby’s face.
·      I then sanitizing the machine and washed the ventouse.
·      I made sure  that  the machine is in working condition and its working normally,.
·      I also checked that there were no chips in the ventouse .
·      Then  I turned on the machine and carried on with the treatment.
·      I applied massage cream  to Abby’s face and neck, making sure I had enough on so that the ventouse will slide easily on the skin’s surface.
·      I started practicing on myself just to find the right working pressure inside the cup so that the underlying tissue won’t raise more than 20% inside the cup.
·      After checking the pressure I moved on to the actual treatment starting from the neck and moving upwards and draining the lymph towards the closest set of lymph nodes.
·      The treatment took about 10 minutes.
·      I then toned the Abby’s skin and prepared it for the Faradic treatment
  Treatment 2: Faradism
·         All jewellery was already removed, since Abby had only few minutes ago the Vacuum Suction  treatment performed on her.
·         I explained the Faradism machine to Abby and what benefits it will have on her skin type.
·         I set Abby’s treatment couch in upright position.
·         I  carried out the tactile sensitivity test and the result was negative.
·         I then sterilized the machine and made sure that there were no problems with it and that it was working normally.·         I then applied conductive gel on the electrode and begun the treatment starting to stimulate the muscles along the jaw line.·         I worked on a biphasic polarity so that the intensity would be equal under both electrodes and stimulate the motor points evenly.·         I contracted each muscle for 7 seconds and repeated the process 3 times. .
·         The treatment took about 15 minutes.·         I cleansed the skin with damp cotton wool and toned it.
Client feedback:
Abby  felt the treatment stimulating and told me that she was never aware of how many muscles there were around the face area and how they can be stimulated. She found the contractions natural, and felt her face working for the first time in her life. She also felt the contractions o little bit irritant around the eye area and the corners of the mouth. She also found the Vacuum suction very relaxing and said that the texture of her skin was much better after the treatment
After/Homecare Advice:
·          I suggested to have the faradic  treatment done as a course:  3 times  a week for the next 4 weeks.
·         I advised Abby r to avoid make-up up for 24 hours after the treatment.
·         I advised her  not to touch her face after the treatment.
·         I also advised her against using self-tan products.
·         I recommended to her to drink plenty of water as the water helps the removal of waste by different   methods of excretion. It will also to keep the skin well hydrated throughout the day.
·      I advised her moisturize her skin with a day and night cream, and to make the difference between them two products, because even if their aims are the same they work in different ways.
·         I also advised her to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15 in order to minimize premature ageing.

************************************************************************** Case Study 2Client Profile:Pamela is 25 years old and works as a personal assistant. She has a normal skin, but lately her skin is breaking out, leaving her T-Zone with papules.

Treatment details:I decided to go for the Galvanic desincrustation treatment and the Direct Method of the High Frequency machine.
·   Galvanic Desincrustation treatment is a very complex but effective treatment, especially for an oily skin and also combination skin  because it relaxes the pores, softens the skin, breaks down the keratin present in the superficial layers, causes vasodilation which will encourage the blood flow and aid the removal of waist, increases the metabolism and last but not least it breaks down the acid mantle; all these are effects of the cathode under which sodium hydroxide is produced. The advantage with this machine is that the polarity can be reversed, the cathode becomes the anode and so the effects of the cathode are reversed, and the formation of hydrochloric acid will restore the acid mantle.
As this treatment can irritate the skin so that I why I recommended her to have it done only once every two weeks.
·         In completion of this treatment I suggested the direct method of high frequency, which will maintain the effects of the desincrustation, and help dry out any existent pustules or papules on the surface of the skin. This machine had drying, germicidal and healing effects, and it is very beneficial for oily and combination skin.  Because we had the desincrustation treatment done before this one I chose to have this one done for only around 5 minutes today.


Galvanic Desincrustation·         I placed my client on the bed and made sure she was warm and comfortable.
·         I asked Silvia to remove any jewellery and put it in a safe place.
·         Before I started the treatment I wanted to make sure that my client is fully familiar with the machine, how it works and what the results are.  I told her that she might feel a slight sting over the papules or pustules, because the skin over those areas is more thin and sensitive to the current.  I also warned her that there may be a breakout after this treatment as it allows the toxins inside the skin to come towards the surface of the skin to be eliminated. I also told her that the quantity of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid is neither big nor concentrated so there is no possibility of skin burn from that cause.
·         I then double cleansed and toned Silvia’s face.
·         Again in this case I wanted to perform a sharp and blunt test to make sure that the skin sensitivity is just right for this kind of treatment. The test result was negative.
·          Before I started the treatment I  made sure that the machine was working properly and that it was in a good condition and  that I had everything I needed for the treatment.·          I sanitized my hand and the machines, applied Vaseline around Silvia’s eyes to prevent the flash.·         I used the ball electrodes for the treatment.·         I put a gauze around the ball electrode.
·          Using a face mask brush, I then applied the desincrustation gel and spread even layer on the face and neck, and started moving the cathode over my client’s skin gradually turning up the intensity of the current making sure that the client is comfortable and the intensity correct.·         I went on with circular movements using the cathode to massage the gel into the skin for about 7 minutes.
·         I then stopped to change the polarity, to anode and to reverse the effects of the cathode, for which I used another small sponge soaked into positive loaded gel, and used it for around 3 minutes, at which point I turned the intensity down and turned off the machine. There was no excess gel left on the surface of the skin.·         I toned the skin and prepare it for the next treatment to come.High Frequency machine - Direct Method

·         Silvia’s skin was clean and toned after the precious treatment already, so I proceeded with the treatment.
·  Before I began I had to make all the electrical checks, I checked that the intensity control was at zero, checked all the plugs and cables.·   I sanitized everything so that I would work in a clean environment.
·      I also tested the intensity on myself before starting the treatment just to be sure that everything was working right
·    I explained to Silvia that she might feel different smell, the smell of ozone, and that she might feel a metallic taste in her mouth because of the current.
·      I then  applied an oxygenating cream  Silvia’s face and neck area, placed the electrode on her skin, switched on the machine and I gradually increased the intensity.
·         I carried on and moved the mushroom head electrode in circular movements all over her face and neck, and I tried to cover as much as I could every part of the skin.
·      The treatment lasted for around 5 minutes, and went on well.
·      After the treatment, I cleansed the remaining cream off the face and toned the skin  Client feedback:Silvia felt the skin very clean, but sensitive to touch in some places. She also told me that she was able to feel the metallic taste in her mouth which she really didn’t enjoy that much. After the treatment she told me that she finds her imperfections more visible now.


After/Homecare AdviceI suggested to have this treatment about once a month.·         I also advised her to avoid make-up up for 24 hours after the treatment.
·         I advised her to stay out of direct sun exposure and wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15 in order to minimize premature ageing.
·         I recommended to drink at least 2 litres water day to keep the skin hydrated.
·         I advice her to pay attention to the products she uses for her skin care routine, to avoid anything harsh, and to try and find a moisturizer that has the perfect balance for her skin, one that is not too greasy nor too tight for the skin.·         To exfoliate but not harshly, to do it around two times a week, so that she will provide a great environment for the new cells to be created and the old cells to be replaced·         To try and avoid anything comedogenic, like mineral oil.·         I also advised her to invest into a good cleanser and toner, and to try and avoid alcohol in toners as this might irritate her skin at some point.*************************************************************************************************************************

Case Study 3Client  Profile:     For Pamela I choose two treatments that will help deep moisturize her dry skin.The first treatment is the Galvanic treatment called Iontophoresis.  I explained to my client how the machine works and how the principles of likes repel and opposites attract works for this treatment.  The main propriety of this machine is to repel the gel inside the
skin deeper than a normal hand massage, because of the same polarity existent inside the gel used and the electrodes, which in this case were both negative.
This will induce water soluble substances deep in the skin, it will also firm  and tighten the skin. It also refines large pores and closes pores after treatment.The second treatment was an Indirect High frequency treatment though massage. After performing the iontophoresis which can be performed after the cleanse and before the massage, I decided that the massage performed on my client would be most beneficial when done along with the indirect high frequency. What I aimed with this treatment was to relax my client, to improve the blood and lymph flow,  to aid desquamation, to soothe the nerve endings and last but not least to still nourish the skin after the iontophoresis treatment. The indirect method of the high frequency machine would allow more relaxation for the tissues on the chest, neck and cheeks, a propriety my client will enjoy very much, as her favorite part in a facial is the facial massage.

Galvanic -Iontophoresis·         I placed Pamela comfortably on the bed and sanitized my hands and area I performed a superficial cleanse in order to prepare the skin for the coming treatments.
·         I explained the treatment to Pamela and what benefits it will have on her dry skin.
·         I double cleansed and toned Anna’s face.
·      I then proceeded with the sensitivity test and the result was negative so I was ready then to commence with the treatment.
·      As the iontophoresis method work by applying current on the surface of the skin it was necessary for me to make sure that the machine was in perfect condition and that it was working properly before I started applying the current.
·         After I did this, I applied the iontophoresis gel on my client’s skin, a dry skin iontophoresis gel, and made sure I spread it evenly over her face and neck.
·         I then moistened the foam cover and put in the inactive electrode and gave it to Pamela to hold
·         The next step was to test the intensity of the current on myself to avoid any kind of shock on my client, and after doing this I sanitized the electrodes and went on to the actual treatment.
·         Before starting I had to apply some Vaseline around the eye area to prevent “flash” which may occur when the electrode is too close to the eye and the intensity is too strong.
·         I placed the roller on the forehead and keep it moving while I turned the current up, as soon my  client reported a tingling sensation, I turned it down slightly.
·         I moved the roller all over the face and neck for 10 minutes making sure never to break contact.
·      I cleansed any remaining gel off the face and toned the skin, so that the skin is ready for the next treatment.

Indirect High frequency·         I started sanitizing everything including my hands, applied talcum powder on my client’s hands, tested the intensity of the current inside the saturator on myself first to protect the client for any discomfort and then started the actual treatment.
·         I went for almond oil as a massage medium, because it allows more hydration for the skin, and because it’s a perfect base allowing the ease of movement while performing the massage, as well as the fact that it’s not penetrating the skin easily and so it allows a gradual hydration.
·         The massage performed was a normal facial massage excepting the tapotement movement, which is not recommended to be used during this treatment because as the therapist is part of the whole circuit or the current, interrupting the contact with the skin while the current is still flowing will give the client a shock, which is a very unpleasant sensation.
·      The treatment was performed for around 20 minutes, after which I turned off the intensity slowly while still having one hand on my client, turned the machine off.
·      At the end of the treatment I removed the remaining cream using sponges and warm water.
·      I then toned Pamela’s skin.

Client Feedback:Pamela described the treatment extremely relaxing, uplifting and soothing for her skin. She found it great, and she told me that she felt her skin intensely hydrated, soft and smooth and that the heat she felt during the treatment was “extraordinary”. There was no erythema present this time, but I was able to see her skin glowing, being more radiant, nourished and relaxed,.

After/Homecare Advice:·         I recommended her not to apply make up for at least 24 hours after this treatment or for as long as she could, as the gel that penetrated her skin was still active and continued to work under the skin, and that is why she should try and keep the area as clean as possible, to create a good environment for the gel to work its way and maximize the benefits.
·    As well I reminded her the importance of a skin care routine
·      The amount of water that she drinks, the fact that it has to increase in order to help with the hydration.
·      To try and apply a hydrating mask once or twice a week, or a homemade mask a fruit or vegetable mask, one that would suit her best.
·      I advised her  moisturize her skin with a day and night cream, and to make the difference between them two products, because even if their aims are the same they work in different ways.
·         I also advised her to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15 in order to minimize premature ageing.



xxx Marina

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