I recently collaborated with up and coming blogger Jody, of Red Bag Report a.k.a. RBR to give you….STYLE WATCH.
RBR features superb style inspiration, wise wardrobe choices and today’s top tastemakers to bring you the latest trends without the budget-busting price tag.
In this first edition of STYLE WATCH, we’ll show you how to take 1 staple piece and wear it 4 ways for 4 different seasons.
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The most important lessons for teens when it comes to makeup are learning how to take care of your skin and how to use makeup to highlight your features. For teenagers minimal makeup is all you needed to make yourself pretty and glowing.
First off..
1. Skin Care: This is the single most important thing teens should do every day.
Wash your face day and night with your favorite facial cleanser. Take off your makeup with makeup remover properly each night before you go to sleep, leaving the products on the face over night is so bad for your skin. My personal favorite is Equate’s Facial Cleansing Cloths from Walmart. They’re extremely affordable, can be used all over the face, and work just as good as ones from high end brands!
Remember to use a good face cream or moisturizer (especially if you have dry skin). One cream will do, you don’t need to have separate eye or face cream at your age.
2. Blemishes: The # 1 tricks teens want to learn is how to cover the blemishes.
Keeping with the idea of being simple and minimal, the best way to cover a blemish is to use a foundation stick which has a creamy formula and you can apply it directly on the blemish. Use a damp makeup wedge to pat it into the skin and put a loose powder on top and it will disappear into your natural skin tone. I really like e.l.f.’s All Over Cover Sticks, they’re really creamy and cover well…plus they’re only $1!!
3. Foundation: We all want flawless skin, but let’s try a more “natural” subtle way.
Again, at this age wearing foundation (even with those horrible breakouts!), can make you look too old and may feel unnatural. However a good tinted moisturizer should do everything you’d need it to do for your teenage skin.
Tinted moisturizers are great at this age because it (1)provides good moisture to the skin, helping your skin to glow and look firm and dewy, and(2)is a good way to essentially even out the skin tone, cover any blemishes and give your skin a fresh, clean, and healthy appearance. I suggest Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Glow Sheers and Healthy Skin Enhancers. The Glow Sheers are great for those of you who have little to no blemishes but have dry skin that you want to even out and add some moisture and radiance. The Enhancer works great for those of you that do have some blemishes and uneven skin you want to cover. You can even use the All Over Cover stick by e.l.f. if you need a little bit more coverage.
4. Colors (for the eyes, lips, and face): The goal is to be simple but pretty!
Remember: Keep it light and sheer. Sheer colors on the eyes, cheeks, and lips.
Sheer colors and rosy tones usually work with every skin tone as do pale shimmery tones, like silver or white. Eyeliner, which is great for parties but for everyday school looks is a bit too much. But if you do choose to wear eyeliner, try using a brown liner instead of black. Brown eyeliner is more subtle and natural looking.
Adding a little bit of a light peach or pink blush on your cheek bone can make you look fresh and glowing.
At this age, makeup is supposed to emphasis your best features, not to change to look completely.
5. Practice make-up cleanliness : SO IMPORTANT!
Keeping your brushes or applicators clean after use is an important lesson.
If you don’t like to spend time cleaning or just don’t have the time, then use disposable applicators like Q-tips.
Don’t make it a habit to share makeup, especially mascara because it is easy to spread bacteria.
(DAILY MORNING USE) This cleanser contains fresh strawberry cells and is designed to hydrate, cleanse, and freshen the face. I really like this particular cleanser because its texture and consistency is very different from your traditional face wash. It has a “lotion/cream like” consistency and is low lathering. I know that there are a lot of people that feel as though if their cleanser does not lather or “sud” heavily then their face isn’t getting clean. With this product, however, I believe you’re getting the best of both worlds because it leave my face feeling moisturized, soft and clean all at the same time . It has a really distinct, fresh (but not over powering) scent that’s great in the AM for a morning burst of energy.
ARBONNE “FC5 NUTURING DAY LOTION W/SPF 20″, $39.50
(DAILY MORNING USE) This is a moisturizer that contains fresh kiwi cells. I was a little hesitant at first to use this because I’ve never been a fan of moisturizers with SPF (they always had that gross sun block smell and made me look super pale). More importantly, I was HOOKED on my Velocity Lightweight Moisturizer by Mary Kay and really didn’t want to make the switch. But after doing a comparison over a few weeks of just how each product performed, the Nurturing Day Lotion was the winner hands down! It didn’t have any of the things I hated with other moisturizers that contain SPF, it was lightweight and absorbed into the skin quickly. It didn’t leave me overly or under moisturized, and something that stood out was the fact that it didn’t contain any “parabens”, “paraffins”, or mineral oils…unlike the Mary Kay.
THE BODY SHOP “ROUNDED HANDLE FACIAL BRUSH”, $3.00
(DAILY NIGHTLY USE) I honestly think that everyone should seriously invest in one of these little miracles! I use this tiny face brush at night along with my Clear Advantage Clarifying Wash to lightly ex foliate and slough off all of my dead skin and any makeup that my makeup remover wipes didn’t get. It’s a great mini facial treatment that’s not only relaxing but also effective! Within a week of using this brush I noticed that my skin gave off a natural glow and was a lot smoother and felt and looked softer. I also attribute the fact that my makeup goes on a lot smoother in my problem areas (on and around my nose) since adding this item to my skin care routine. Who knew such a little thing like this could make such a big difference.
ARBONNE “CLEAR ADVANTAGE CLARIFYING WASH”, $16.50
(NIGHTLY USE) Even though I don’t have hundreds of zits one my face (Oh, but I used to!) I still like to use an acne wash to keep any pimples that may show up under control. I use this particular wash at night (with a facial brush) because it is designed to deep clean, and most of my deep cleaning needs are in the evenings when I’m finally taking off all of my makeup. I like that it’s a soap-free face wash so that eliminates some of the dryness you tend to experience with typical acne washes. However, it does contain 1% salicylic acid so there still are some drying aspects. I love how clean and fresh my face feels after using this. It contains a bit of peppermint which adds to the wonderful facial cleansing experience with an light but invigorating minty scent!
ARBONNE “FC5 MOISTURINZG NIGHT CRÈME”, $ 42
(NIGHTLY USE) This night cream contains fresh mango cells. I’ve never been a fan of night creams because all the ones I’ve tried almost always left my skin feeling oily and greasy when I woke up the next morning, so for a while I just washed my face at night with an acne wash and went to bed. My face used to be so dry, ashy and feel like it would crack apart if I even smiled! I decided to give this night cream a try and fell in LOVE! I like the fact that it’s super moisturizing (great for my normal/dry skin), restores the hydration balance to my skin leaving it smooth and soft, but doesn’t make me look like a grease ball when I wake up in the mornings.
ARBONNE “RE9 ADVANCED CORRECTIVE EYE CRÈME”, $55
(NIGHT/DAY USE) I apply this eye cream in the mornings and evenings on and around my under eye area to reduce the look of dark and puffy circles. The FC5 line does have a Hydrating Eye Crème that corresponds with that particular skin care line but I decided to use the RE9 eye cream because it contains a higher concentration of Vitamin C (which helps to reduce puffiness and darkness) since it is geared towards a more older age group. I like that it’s light and feels good when applied to the sensitive under eye skin. If you are someone like me, who already has every noticeable bags and dark circles this would be a great products for you. If you don’t suffer as bad or not at all and are just looking for a way to treat/prevent under eye circles the eye cream available in the FC5 line would be more suitable.
ST. IVES “INVIGORATING APRICOT SCRUB”, ($$$ varies for “drug store” brands)
(NIGHTLY USE 1x A WEEK) I love love love this scrub! The FC5 line does have a facial scrub that goes with the skin care set but I have been using the St. Ives scrub for years and I don’t think I’ll ever change it. I mostly use this right before I use a facial mask to clean off any dead skin and prep my face for the mask, or just to get rid of any dead skin period. It sloughs off my dead skin gently yet effectively and doesn’t irritate my skin at all. I love the fact that it is 100% all natural and is very affordable.
ARBONNE “FC5 INTENSE HYDRATION MASK”, $32
(NIGHTLY USE 1x A WEEK) This mask contains fresh mango cells and is a deliciously moisturizing mask! I typically use this once a week at the least, to rejuvenate my skin and restore moisture. You only need a thin even layer on your face. When I use this mask it feels so nice and smooth, once I take it off my skin feels soft, supple, and surprising very squeaky clean. Thumbs up!
QUEEN HELENE “MINT JULEP MASQUE”, ($$$ varies for “drug store” brands)
(OCCASIONAL NIGHTLY USE) I have normal/dry skin and this product contains a load of peppermint and is designed to dry up pimples and blackheads and to tighten the skin…which is why I do not use it on my entire face. This mask is entirely too strong for my skin and will dry face up really bad, so I mostly use this as an extra strength spot treatment. When I see a zit coming or I already have one that refuses to leave, I’ll just pop a little of this on before bed and wash it of in the morning.
THE BODY SHOP “CAMOMILE GENTLE EYE MAKE-UP REMOVER”, $14.50
(DAILY/NIGHTLY USE) I decided to try this remover out because I was tired of wasting my facial towelettes to remove small amounts of eye makeup. I love that the formula is super gentle and does not irritate my eyes at all. It does a pretty decent job at removing stubborn eye makeup as well as my face makeup when need be. The price tag of $14.50 is a bit steep but you don’t need a lot of product so one bottle will last you quite some time.
EQUATE FACIAL CLEANSING TOWELETTES, ($$$ varies)
(DAILY/NIGHTLY USE) I discovered these wipes in the beginning of 2010 and have been hooked ever since! They work so well at removing my makeup (about 98%) and also helps cleanse my face as well. This brand is exclusive to Walmart and is SO affordable and lasts for months with out drying out. These wipes leave my skin feeling fresh and clean, which is a great little pick me up after a long day of work and school.
CLEAN & CLEAR “PERSA- GEL 10, ($$$ varies)
(OCCASIONAL USE) This is something I use simply when I have a pimple or feel/see one coming. It goes on clear/dries clear so I can wear it under my make up if need be. When I use this, it usually gets rid of the pimple and reduces any redness within a few hours to 2 days.
WHAT TYPE OF SKIN DO YOU HAVE???
Normal/Dry
The most delicate of all skin types. Delivering proper hydration to skin is especially important to this skin type.
Skin type characteristics:
1.Smooth skin
2.Fine pores
3.Rough, flaky patches of dryness
4.Skin lacking essential oils
5.Dull-looking skin
Oily/ Combination
The most common type of skin. This skin type is often the most balanced in its production of oil, with oiliness in the T-zone and some dryness at the perimeter of the face.
