New Year’s Kissable Lips

Who doesn’t love a good New Year’s Eve party? And, tonight as everyone prepares for the clock to turn 12, you want to make sure you lips stay kissable. Whether you are kissing friends ‘Hello’ or kissing your date as the ball drops in Times Square- you must ensure your pout is soft and kissable.

Here are a few tips:

1.)  Exfoliate your lips gently with your toothbrush.

2.)  Prep lips with a moisturizing lip balm.

3.)  Make sure your teeth are brushed, flossed, and gargle with mouth wash.

4.)  Tonight is not the night to go for a dramatic lipstick shade. You will end up getting it all over people. Keep your lips light and play up your eyes. 

5.)  A little lip liner can ensure lip colors staying power. Keep your lipstick in your purse for quick touch ups throughout the night.

6.)  Also, don’t forget to keep mints in your purse as well to keep breathe fresh!

Fuchsia Lips

Fuchsia lipstick is not for the timid. But, don’t despair. Anyone can find the right fuchsia lipstick, not only can it be flattering, but it’s in style this season. Just pick up your favorite fashion/beauty magazine and you will be hard pressed not to find a beautiful celebrity rocking the look. Model, Jessica Stam, looks bold and sexy in CoverGirl’s Lip Perfection Lipstick in Spellbound. Hollywood’s top style-setters- Gwen Stefani, Rachel Bilson, Nicole Richie, Camille Belle, Kourtney Kardashion, Rihanna, among other have been spotted with sporting the unexpected shade. It is a fun way to add an unexpected and bold lip without resorting to the more popular red. Still not convinced you can pull it off? Give it a try! Finish with a soft blush and mascara. You want to lip to be the focal point. The look is actually very classy and elegant when done right. You might just love it! 

Would You Tell Her If She Had Lipstick On Her Teeth?

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I have a handful of holiday parties to attend in the coming days and I’ve just been thinking about how many women (dear friends and family, mind you) I will see with lipstick on their teeth. It’s a random thought, I know. But last year around this same time I was face to face with five ladies whose lip lacquer had migrated onto their front chompers. And guess what I did? NOTHING. I was frozen with embarrassment,  and unsure how to tell them that they looked crazy. This year will be different. I went to Gail Sagel, a makeup artist and owner of Faces Beautiful, to find out how I can be better prepared for the sticky situation. 

“The most tactful way to tell someone she has lipstick on her teeth is to motion your own finger across your teeth at the same time as making eye contact with her,” she says. “When she sees you sliding your finger across your top teeth, she will imitate you and make the connection.”

Oh, so I don’t even have too say anything? SWEET.

Worried you’ll be the one walking around the party with lipstick on your teeth? Sagel suggests wearing a lipstain under a longwear lipstick, and blot the color with a tissue after you apply it. That way the excess goes on the tissue and not on your teeth.

Personally, I’m not a big lipstick wearer. But when I do, I swipe it on and then always take a swig of ice water from a styrofoam cup. It’s something about the styrofoam blotting away the excess and the ice water locking down what’s left. And, not to brag, but I’ve never once had lipstick on my teeth…I don’t think.

Extreme Hair Color

Most of us associate funky shades of hair dye with the punk rock set- no more. The trend started in the 80’s and 90’s when the rebellious would streak their hair with shades of blue, purple, and so on. The look made a fleeting come back when Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera added fun streaks to their hair. But, now the trend has moved mainstream. Rebels step aside. Even cookie-cutter fashionistas such as Kate Bosworth and Lauren Conrad have adapted the trend. You no longer have to be Lady Gaga or Katy Perry- now, the girl next door is in on the craze. Pick a color: orange, blue, pink, green, purple and so on. Then, consult your professional hairstylist to add a few strategically place streaks. For those who just want to dabble in the trend try a clip on extension or wash out color. 

LOOK RADIANT WITH GAIL SAGEL'S BEAUTY TIPS

LOOK RADIANT WITH GAIL SAGEL'S BEAUTY TIPS The holidays are officially here! And we need to look our best for the whole season. When hosting those ever so stressful parties, we don’t need to have a hair or makeup meltdown! To save you the stress, we got together with beauty insider and CEO of FACES Beautiful cosmeticsGail Sagel to get all the essential beauty tips you need to stay looking glamorous this holiday season. Sagel recognizes that the holidays are the perfect time to look our best! With naturally glowing makeup and sophisticated hair styles, Sagel understands all the latest beauty trends that are needed for any special occasion this season. Sagel’s FACES Beautiful cosmetics line focuses on products that are mineral based, offer natural sun protection, and more importantly, make you look gorgeous! SheKnows: Gail, the holidays are officially upon us! From your cosmetic line FACES Beautiful, can you tell us which foundations are best to use to treat our skin as the colder months near? Sagel: In the winter months, a liquid foundation will always be preferred over a powder foundation – it’s just more moisturizing and lasts longer in drier, colder weather and looks better. Within our cosmetic line we have created FACES Beautiful Brush-On Liquid Mineral Makeup. It has all of the benefits of liquid makeup and all of the benefits of mineral makeup – all in one tube with a brush attached for easier application. SheKnows: What colors for eyes and lips are really hot for the holidays right now? Sagel: Haven’t you heard? All that glitters is gold! This season is all about glittering gold and silver metallics. So for the eyes, go all out glam with ourFACES Beautiful Signature Shadow Quads for a perfect finish. As for lipsticks, the hottest colors of the season are gorgeously deep berries and burgundies. All berries – whether sheer, matte or glossy, can be worn throughout the holiday and winter season for you to look effortlessly glamorous and meltdown proof! SheKnows: If you’re rushing from the office to a fabulous holiday party, how can you take your look from daytime to evening? Sagel: For a great day to night look, let’s first start with your makeup: Enhance your eyeliner, add a little shimmer eye shadow and put on a glossy berry lipstick. Next, glam up your hair: Whether you use a styling gel or a finishing spray, tousle and tease your hair a bit more then what you did that morning. It will add just a touch of sexiness to your office “do”. Or as a fun accessory, add a gem encrusted hair clip to complete the look. For the holidays in general, I highly recommend getting a fresh haircut, and add a new shade of highlights to your natural color. Warmer tones always look great in the winter months. And third, put on some luxurious earrings, accented with a big cocktail ring and an elegant scarf, and rock those new pumps! And you go sexy lady! Published by Sheknows.com

The Look Right Now: BOLD BROWS

Here at Faces Beautiful we love eyebrows. We are known for our custom brow shaping services.  I came across page 53 of the December issue of Allure Magazine and fell in love with the bold brows they featured from the 2012 runways. Brows were the focal point at the spring shows. The brows were thick, dark, and had a defined arch.  Get the look by filling your own brows in in with a pencil or shadow and wet brush, no matter what your hair color. Brush them up with an eyebrow brush. You can even try having your brows tinted professionally, which is a very popular service at Faces Beautiful and other salons. The tinting should last 3-4 weeks and will shave off some time during your morning routine! And, since the brows this season are strong, you can get away with any makeup look that you want! Try it with a bold lip or eye or keep the whole face natural. With groomed brows you will look put-together and fabulous no matter what!

Edgy Makeup for a Rugged Outfit

I just saw clothing designer, Andrew Marc's new advertisement for Winter 2011 featuring a beautiful model sporting a sexy, rugged look. The colors are dark and neutral. The texture is leather. The style is lots of zippers and layering. I instantly realized that grunge can actually be sexy and pretty if done right. The idea is to look like you just effortlessly put it together. Kate Moss is an example of someone who has mastered this. So, what makeup and hair goes with an edgy look? Keep your locks loose and free. Makeup should be simple. A fresh, light lipstick and brown smokey eye gives off that care-free attitude. Add black eyeliner to take it up a notch and add a bit more mystery. It's all about attitude, girls! 

Holiday Hair

If you're counting on shiny, bouncy locks from now until New Years it's time to schedule a hair appointment with your favorite stylist. With all the other obligations during the holiday season, worrying about your hair should not be one of them! Start the party season off right with a trim. Experts suggest that hair be trimmed every 8 weeks for optimal health anyhow. It's also a great idea to ask your stylist for a professional deep conditioning treatment, that will ensure that when you're at home styling your hair will be as healthy as possible throughout the season. Have your color done as well. This way your color is fresh and vibrant for all those holiday get- togethers. Keep strands smooth by maintaining it's health with the right products at home, too. When it comes to the holidays shiny, smooth strands (straight, wavy, or curly) are what's in. Style with a round brush.

Here are some quick holiday fixes: 
Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, $17.99
Garnier Fructis Sleek & Smooth Leave-In Conditioning Cream, $4.99
Acai Daily Smoothing Serum, $38.00
Pureology Serious Colour Care SuperSmooth, $22
Goldwell Double Boost Roost Lift Spray, $19

Great Beauty Buys $15 and under!

Who doesn’t love a bargain? Even celebrities forgo the expensive stuff when they find a less expensive product to do the job! US Weekly (Nov. 7^th issue, Pg. 70) shows us some cheap tricks the stars love. As I looked over the page I found a few of my favorite things, too. I love Maybelline’s The Falsies Mascara. For only $8 you get a great volumizing mascara. I also love Sonia Kashuk’s Nail Colour in Taunting Teal. It’s a beautiful blue, which even Christy Turlington loves! And, it’s only $5 at target.com! One of my other favorite steals is the Bliss Lemon and Sage Beauty Bar. At only $15 it has exfoliating properties and makes your bathroom smell amazing. Sarah Jessica Parker loves Crème de Corps from Kiehl’s, and I can’t disagree with her. It’s an amazing all-over body moisturizer that hydrates and soothes the skin. It comes in all different sizes, making it great for travel, too. The small size is only  $10 and I leave it in my travel bag. Nothing is more exciting than great beauty products that are effective and don’t put a hole in your wallet!

Master of the Smokey Eye!

One of the questions I get asked often is how do you do a smokey eye. While there are many variations of the smokey eye, I was saw a L’Oreal Ad (People Magazine, Nov. 14^th, Pg. 21) of model, Freida , wearing their new ‘The One Sweep’ eyeshadow palette in Smokey for all eyes. The look was absolutlely stunning. We create the same look at Faces Beautiful with our Mineral Eye Shadow Quad in Muse.  You can get the professional look at home by following these simple steps for a gorgeous smokey eye.

     1.)   Line the lids with a long-lasting liquid or gel liner.

     2.)   Next perfect the line by tracing it with an angled-liner brush dipped in black shadow to ensure its staying power.

     3.)   Use a crease brush and apply the black in the outer corner of the eye and into the crease.

     4.)   Next dip a blending brush into the gray and blend over the entire lid and crease. This will create the smoked look and soften the black. 

     5.)   Add the sheer white to the brow bone.

     6.)   Use a black pencil to line underneath the eye. You can even mix the black and gray and sweep over the liner for a bold effect.

     7.)   Go over to top liner, too.       

     8.)   Finish with lots of mascara and wipe away spare shadow that may have fallen onto the face. Make sure your brows are filled in and that you complete the rest of your makeup by keeping it simple, with a natural foundation, pink/peach blush, and a nude lip.