A brighter smile

White teeth have a number of interesting connotations. They are associated with being healthy, wealthy and young, among others. There are also beauty benefits. Whiter teeth also make your skin look less sallow and your lips naturally darker, by contrast. You can see how bright teeth are a great staple for the no makeup look, making everything better before you add even a drop of product.

The good news? Whiter teeth are easier and cheaper to achieve than ever! A few simple steps will make your results even better. 

Select a product like Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid Whitestrips. The new technology is much better than in older strips. The packaging is easy to deal with, the size of the strips is right, and once you put them on they stay on since they have a slightly sticky texture.

Start the process by NOT brushing your teeth. Sounds counterintuitive, right? Apparently, the fluoride in toothpaste can prevent the bleach from doing its job. You can rinse with water or brush without toothpaste if you’d like. I like to floss with a non waxy product as well. Right before you put the strips on you can use a tissue to dry your teeth and help the strips adhere better.

Take the strips out of the pouch and place them on your teeth, covering them as best as possible and avoiding your gums. Since users’ main complaint is that strips don’t whiten between teeth, go over the edges with your nail, pushing the strip onto the space between your teeth.

Avoid eating and drinking while you have the strips on. Wait the recommended amount of time and remove carefully. Feel free to brush your teeth afterwards. Most specialists recommend avoiding dark foods and drinks (berries, coffee, wine) for 24 hours but the Crest website states that it doesn’t make a difference.

Enjoy your new brighter smile and enhance it even more by wearing a stain with a slighty blueish undertone like Covergirl Outlast Lipstain in Plum Pout.

The right makeup for a perfect Drivers License picture

Since I recently had my picture taken for my Drivers License I didn’t think I had to worry when I ran to the DMV this morning to update some information. Well… I learned two important lessons:

1. Always be prepared (I’ve known that one for a while but forgot it this morning
2. DMV’s always take a new picture if you update your license in person at the office

Aaaaaarrrggghhh! My last picture was cute! Today my hair was wet in a pony tail and the only thing I had on my face was sunscreen! I’ll need to see the real deal to assess how bad it was, but I think there will be a next time real soon. Here’s what I recommend that you do when your turn comes.

After moisturizing, apply the level of foundation that is right for your skin right now – since I currently have no blemishes and it’s summer, for me it would’ve been tinted moisturizer. Follow it with concealer. Be sure to get your eyelids and inner corners of the eyes, under eye circles, around your nose and anywhere where you still see a little redness or imperfections.

While I would say that creating beautiful skin is the most important step in the regular no-makeup look, it’s less important for a picture at the DMV because the harsh flash erases a lot of flaws. That said, it also erases your features and shows a disproportionate amount of shine so focus on the next steps!

Add cream blush to the apples of your cheeks and blend. Consider making it a little more noticeable than usual to counteract the flash, which will wash you out.

Smudge brown eyeliner into your top lashes and add as many coats of mascara as you’d like for defined eyes. A little bit of highlighter in the inner corners will help you look awake.

Apply a natural looking lip stain that is darker than your lip shade – this is not the time for beige nudes – and add lip balm or a little neutral gloss if you like shiny lips in a picture.

You should look really great right about now! Let’s finish it off with 2 tricks. First, take a large soft brush and use it to pick up some pressed powder bronzer. Brush it all around the edges of your face – your jaw, ears, around the hairline and a little under the cheekbones. It’s a quick contouring to make you look slimmer and bring attention to the center of your face. Blend with a tissue to make sure there are no hard lines (which would look horrible in your pic!). Then take the same brush, dip it in a little loose powder and go over your t-zone to minimize shine. You need all the help you can get with that flash! Consider bringing blotting paper and using it just before your close-up.

Last but not least, consider your choice of outfit. Sometimes the pictures are cut at your neck, but sometimes your top will show. Remember that the background is turquoise blue and avoid any colors that clash. My favorite style remains a classic shape, like a button down or a top that shows my collarbone, like a boatneck cut, in a bright white.

The scoop neck bejeweled beige t-shirt I was wearing today, not so much… *sigh*

Luscious lips

When your lips are dry, a stain just won’t cut it. That’s the time to turn to the great staple that is the tinted lip balm. Though the whole category has a certain “granola vibe” to it, not all tinted lip balms are alike and you are sure to find something perfect for your needs.

For the color-phobic I’d recommend Burt's Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm. Not a tinted lip balm, this one has just a hint of color and sheen. It smells and feels delicious without adding a lot of chemicals to the process. I’ll also admit that it’s on this list because I love it and I’ll plug it wherever I can. : )

If you’re looking for some color without a glossy effect, Burt’s Bees also recently launched a new tinted lip balm. Rose, a mix between pink and red, looks like very natural. Again, I like that the ingredient list is short and sweet.

Last but not least, luxe lovers can check out Fresh SugarTinted Lip treatments. Beautiful texture and scent, with three colors to choose from – Honey, Rosé and Plum.

One product to replace them all!

Many years ago, when I first tried self-tanner on my face, I was very careful. I made sure to use small quantities, rub it in at length and brush my nails after I was done with the application. After a few days of using it I was really happy with the results – the color was very natural and I looked healthy. I was proud of my cheat until a friend pointed out a small detail I had missed. There was a very clear demarcation line in the area where my jaw met my earlobe… I was mortified.

When you think of it, it was only natural... Never do I extend my face moisturizer onto my ears! Try it for yourself and see where your fingers go… Well, with tanner, you gotta! When you are done rubbing it in, work out the leftover from your fingers on your earlobes and around the ear. Now that you know this little trick, you’re ready to look your best.

Nobody does self tanners like Clarins – it’s like they have a magical formula that no one else’s heard of! Their Radiance-Plus Golden GlowCream-Gel is no exception. I recommend smoothing one pump of this product to your skin every night, and switch to every other night once the color is right. I swear you’ll end up wearing less makeup and fewer products when you wake up the next morning.

Defined brows

I’ve written about polished brows before but we should add a second step to that routine if we want to make sure brows look their best, especially if you have a few bald spots or are growing them out. 

Of all brow filling products, powder tends to look the most natural. Think of it as eyeshadow for your brows! The best color depends more on the color of your skin than that of your eyebrows. The lighter your skin, the closest you should stay to taupe, even if your eyebrows are dark like mine. Start light and go darker if the results are not noticeable enough.

Take a stiff, angled and short haired brush, dip it in the powder and then work it carefully unto your brow line, following their natural shape. Even though it sounds a little uncomfortable, apply it against the direction of the hair growth for best results. After application step back and check your work. It’s easier to see if both eyebrows are balanced from a distance.

When you’re done your eyebrows should look a little fuller, more even and defined. Ignore the wax that comes with the brow powder (many times it’s hard to work and flakes) and finish your work with a coat of transparent mascara.

Perfecting skin – level 1

Beautiful skin is essential to the no makeup look. It should look like your skin is naturally flawless. Here are the basics we are looking for:

• Even tone – no blotches, redness, sun spots or pimples;
• Small pores – not really erased since skin needs texture, but minimized;
• Glowing – flawless skin isn’t shiny or matte but has a soft sheen to it, especially on cheeks. Sometimes referred to as dewy skin.

So how do we achieve that? There are many options and many levels of involvement. I’d like to start this series of posts with the lightest one, the tinted moisturizer.

Tinted moisturizers are wonderful products to even out tone, create good texture and achieve the right amount of sheen. Most formulas include some SPF which allows you to skip that step!

Application is refreshingly easy. If your skin is normal or dry, you may want to start with a serum or light moisturizer. Wait a couple of minutes to let it sink in and then proceed to the tinted moisturizer. Pour a largish pea-sized amount of product on your fingertips, rub your fingertips together gently to warm it up and then massage it to your skin as if you’re applying moisturizer. Make sure it has gone on evenly and you haven’t missed any bits. If your skin is combination or oily this amount of moisturizer is probably enough in the summer, but in your case take a fluffy powder brush and add a tiny amount of face powder to the t-zone (forehead, nose and chin).

A favorite of beauty editors everywhere (and mine also) is Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer SPF20. I also like Stila’s Sheer ColorTinted Moisturizer SPF 15. Both offer plenty of natural colors, comfortable wear and a very natural finish.

Curled lashes

Even though eyelash curlers always strike me as torture device, there’s no denying the effect of a good curl. Eyelashes look longer and more noticeable, which in turn makes eyes look bigger and more awake. So… find a way to deal with it, think happy thoughts of gorgeous lashes and do it.

If that pep talk didn’t work, as it hasn’t for me, consider this messy but effective little trick. Get something to use as a block – a spoon, a credit card or a folded tissue – and place it on the upper lid. Keep it there through the whole process. Apply your favorite mascara, wait a couple of seconds, then place a finger at the root of your lashes. Try to bend your lashes upward, against the folded tissue and keep it there for a little bit until it starts to dry.

Enjoy your curled lashes without worrying about pinched lids (just writing that makes me think “ouch!”).