Well, you all know I do a lot of beauty reviews for makeup and cosmetics. But recently I received a couple requests for beauty reviews on permanent cosmetics. If anyone doesn’t know, it’s basically like a tattoo that makes your eye brows look fuller or your lips lined- without it ever coming off. Here’s a basic run down of both the pros and cons of these procedures.

The biggest benefits of permanent cosmetics are that you never need to reapply makeup. No more worrying about sweating it off, or even removing it at night. With permanent cosmetics you can have your eyeliner, eyebrows, lip liner, lip color or even eye lashes colored and curled. I’ve heard that if you’re allergic to makeup or wear contacts that some eye doctors even recommend this instead of makeup.

What if you’re no longer able to apply makeup due to a medical condition? Or have experienced permanent hair loss of the brows or lashes? I can see permanent makeup being a reasonable solution.

But is it safe? Well, permanent cosmetics are basically tiny tattoos. Do tattoos always come out right? No. That is a definite concern. My other big concern is that this industry is unregulated. You can find certified beauticians, and should look at least for that. But I recommend if you are considering permanent cosmetics that you find someone with a long and excellent reputation. You’re likely to pay a minimum $300 for any procedure. It may save you money on makeup in the long run- but it’s a significant investment- many procedures go for $1,000. So you need to make sure that the technician you choose will be safe and experienced.

So beauty reviews for permanent cosmetics need to address both sides of the coin. Then you need to decide how important  this convenience is to your life. Are you willing to give up the ability to choose new makeup colors on a daily basis? Is the attraction of makeup that always stays put just too great? Or are the safety concerns of permanent cosmetics off-putting? Girls- it’s a really personal decision. But if you do decide to go this route- let me know if you’re happy with your decision.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Like a frame around a picture, eye liner makes your eyes stand out. Really, other than mascara, it’s my favorite tool for the eyes. But my scan of beauty reviews for how to put on eye liner brings up the constant question of whether or not it’s OK to use eyeliner on the inner part of your lower lash line. You know- the part that is right next to your eyeball.

Well, I’ve always advised against it, due to the risk of infection. But there are some smoky eye looks that use this method. And a lot of the responses to beauty reviews claim that you won’t get an infection unless you’re sharing your makeup with someone who’ve infected.

Here’s my thinking. Even if you’re not worried about the risk of infection- my how to put on eye liner advice is to use eye liner below the lower lash line. Using it inside/above will only make eyes appear smaller. And if you are one of the few who truly desire that effect, there are other ways to achieve it. (Line the whole perimeter of your eye, for instance.)

Either way- here are the basic steps for how to put on eye liner.

1. Choose a versatile eye liner that will allow you to achieve both fine thin lines, and fatter smudgy ones. My current fave is Bare Escentuals Liner Shadow Compact Quad IV. It comes with four shades and a brush.
2. Hold your upper lid taut with your non-dominant hand, and use your writing hand to start at the inner corner of your eye and work outward. To really make your eyes appear larger you can focus on the outer edges by starting liner in the middle and working out from there.
3. Use a similar approach on the lower lash line. If using a pencil instead of a brush, try smudging staring through those lashes.

Remember to let liquid eyeliner dry before opening your eyes. And play around to figure out which type of liner you like best.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com- a positive place for women and girls

One of the most frequent questions I get on makeup is how to match eye shadow colors. This is really confusing for a lot of girls. Should you try to match your clothes, your eyes, the season, your skin tone? My scan of the beauty reviews out there makes the reason for all the confusion clear. Most beauty reviews give you the writer’s opinion, but not the reasons behind it. And for any free-thinking woman, you want to know why you’re doing what you’re doing!

The Makeup How to Match Eye Shadow Tutorial

In my humble, but experienced, opinion I always advise that you work on complimenting your eye color, and then give consideration to your skin tone. Here’s why. Your eyes are set immediately against your face, not your shoes, your handbag or that really cute dress you just bought. Trying to pair your eye shadow with clothing is like choosing a picture frame to compliment your furniture, rather than the picture and the wall it is set against.

Also, a key to makeup how to match eye shadow comes straight from that color wheel your elementary art teacher showed you. Remember how it’s broken into the primary and secondary colors, and gradually moves from one to another. Most beauty reviews don’t bother to explain that this is how you learn which colors compliment your eye color. Take a look at a color wheel, and then try to choose colors close to your eye color, but different enough to make an impact. You wouldn’t frame a mostly green picture in the same green color frame. It would get lost. Most likely you’d pick a complimentary color a few tones away off.

OK- brown isn’t actually on the color wheel; it’s a combination of all the colors. Still the best colors for brown eyes tend to be coppers, beiges, and champagnes, all tones of brown. Get it? If you’re still unsure try a makeup how to match eye shadow kit like the Pop Beauty Eye Class - Blue Eyes Blue Eyes. Let them do the initial work for you. Eventually you’ll learn enough about complimentary colors to writer you own beauty reviews!

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos- founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

So you have a drawer full of lipstick colors that you just can’t use? Maybe melon burst looked great in the department store mirror, but once you got it home, it just looks like you attacked a cantaloupe. You’re not alone. I get a lot of mail from girls who are baffled by the whole concept of undertones and how to pick lipstick that suits your complexion. While there is some truth to the fact that finding perfect makeup matches involves a lot of trial and error, there are also some easy guidelines to follow that will point you in the right direction.

Understanding Undertones

It’s true that your skin has undertones of either blue or yellow. But don’t despair. Here’s an easy test I stumbled across years ago to help you figure it out. Most of us prefer either gold or silver jewelry because it looks better on us. If you don’t know, hold a piece of each next to your face. One is bound to compliment your skin tone better than the other. If it’s the silver, then you likely have blue undertones and will look best in cool colors. If it’s gold, chances are you have yellow undertones and will look best in warmer tones.

Lipstick Colors Demystified

Now you may be thinking- that’s all well and good, but I’m not sure I’d know a warm lipstick shade if it sat next to me on the subway. Never fear. A key step of how to pick lipstick that suits your complexion is knowing who to ask. (That would be me!)

Warm shades include coral, peach, amber, melon, and brick red. Cooler shades include mauve, cherry, plum, rose and crimson. Look at the Bare Escentuals Lipstick Cat’s Meow lipstick to get an idea. This is a warm coral tone. Now contrast that to the Nars Lipstick Flaming Dust. This is a cool cherry tone.

These are just the basics. But the basics are exactly where you need to start when learning hot to pick lipstick that suits your complexion.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls

Have I got a fun project for you! Yes, you can really learn how to make lipstick on your own. Create your own color. Mix it. Mold it. Design your own name brand and signature lipstick tones. How?

Easy. You may have seen beer or wine making kits on the market. But do you know that you can buy lipstick-making kits? Seriously. For about $50 to $90 you can learn how to make lipstick or lip balm. Look for a lipstick making kit that includes all of the tools, ingredients, and directions. You can even find additional free recipes online.

Basically, you will learn how to mix waxes, butters, and softeners for your most basic lipstick. You get choose from ingredients like avocado or cocoa butter. Then you will add preservatives and vitamins to your blend. Finally, you will have the option to include sunscreen (please do) or flavors. And it’s not rocket science. If you can follow directions, you can make lipstick.

I am so excited about this as a gift giving idea. I can think of a couple girls I know who would love to learn how to make lipstick. And they have summer birthdays. A-ha!

If only Mr. Baker had seen the possibilities for teaching high school chemistry through the magic of makeup. How to Make Lipstick 101 would have done wonders for the girls in my high school chemistry class.

Here is one make your own lipstick recipe that I found. Try it and let me know how it goes.

Sincerely,

Caterina Christakos - founder of stillagirl.com - a positive place for women and girls