Steps to healthy, beautiful skin.

While you're taking a selfie, do you ever ask yourself: "Why does my face look and feel dull?" If you do, it's probably because you're slackin' on the skin care.

I've learned from working in cosmetics that skincare is very important. I'm going to take you through the skincare process, step-by-step, and explain the  benefits of what they do. Your skincare regimen should be done every morning and night. 

First, with a cleanser, you wash your face. Cleansers come in all different forms: a foaming, cream or an oil.

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Cream Cleanser is a natural cleanser. Apply this cleanser in circular motions, using your fingertips. You will feel a cool, tingling sensation, almost like a vapor-feel to it. Wash it off with a warm face cloth. Your skin will feel so rejuvenated, hydrated and clean! ($10.00) burtsbees.com

 Estee Lauder's Perfectly Clean Creme cleanser is a 2-in-1 product, as it doubles as a moisture mask. I use it as a cleanser in the morning, while at night I leave it on for 5 minutes as a mask, so my skin is left feeling soft and supple. This can be removed with a tissue or washed off. ($25.00) nordstrom.com

This is my favorite cleanser! Laura Mercier's Flawless Skin Purifying Cleansing Oil deeply cleanses, while removing any left-over makeup and dirt/impurities off of your skin. My skin is left soft and dewy, like a baby's butt! ($40.00) nordstrom.com

 Next, use a cotton ball to apply a toner. A toner balances your skin's pH level, wiping away any dirt and impurities off your skin.

Estee Lauder Soft Clean Toning lotion/ Refiner is a hydrating, soothing toner. Skin feeling a little parched? This toner is specifically for dry skin, so it won't leave your skin feeling thirsty! ($25.00) nordstrom.com

Once your skin is clean, apply an eye cream, using circular motions. An eye cream can prevent future damage or it can correct existing damage. Its results can improve fine lines, dark circles, puffiness, environmental damage, dehydration and dryness, lifting and firming.

Estee Lauder's Resilience Lift Eye Crème helps lift and firm those lines and wrinkles around your eye. When I apply this eye crème, it literally gives me an instantly brighter look with its exclusive, Photo-Activated and Nocturnal Lift Complexes to help skin boost its natural collagen and elastin production. Even though I'm not concerned with lifting and firming just yet, this is my favorite eye creme because it gives me a brighter, more hydrated look. ($58.00) nordstrom.com

  Once the eye cream is applied, apply a serum. It should be applied under your moisturizer. There is more than one serum for different benefits for your imperfections and problem areas. They can improve fine lines, age spots, sun spots, dehydration, dryness, environmental damage, pores, redness, flakiness and blotchiness.

    

Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair was the first face serum ever created and is the number one best selling serum. ANR is to improve dehydration and dryness, sun spots, discolorations, and lines and wrinkles. Side Note: Although it doesn't contain any sunscreen, I wear it to the beach and it prevents me from getting a sunburn! Another perk: When I apply ANR to any minor cuts, it prevents them from scarring! This little brown bottle works miracles and is worth every penny! (1 oz. $62.00, 1.7 oz. $92.00, 2.5 oz. $120.00, 3.4 oz $155.00) nordstrom.com

 Estee Lauder's Illuminating Idealist is a smooth-textured serum. Its benefits are to prevent and correct any redness, acne scars, sun spots, age spots and discolorations. After time, you will notice that your skin will have a glow and an overall even appearance. It should be worn in the AM. (1 oz $62.00, 1.7 oz $92.00, 2.5 oz $120.00, 3.4 oz $160.00) nordstrom.com

Estee Lauder's Pore-Minimizing Idealist goes on soft and smooth. Its benefits are to minimize the look of enlarged pores, flakiness and roughness. It gives clarity and radiance to your skin. It is almost like an exfoliator; the first few times I applied this, I literally had to tissue off a layer of dead skin. (Doesn't that sound lovely?) Still,I highly recommend this product if you have any of the above concerns. It gives you INSTANT results! (1 oz. $54.00, 1.7 oz. $82.00, 2.5 oz. $105.00) nordstrom.com

After you apply the serum, apply a moisturizer that best fits your needs. Then you can consider if you have dry, normal/combination or oily skin and whether you need preventative, anti-wrinkle, dehydration or lifting and firming in your moisturizer. You shouldn't choose products by your age, but only on your skincare concerns.

Kheil's Creme d'Elegance Repairateur is for dry to very dry skin. It contains shea butter, cocoa butter, sesame oil and other hydrating ingredients. This moisturizer is awesome for the winter time, when my skin is so dry and dehydrated, it hurts. I drown my face in it! (2 oz. $29.00, 4 oz. $50.00) nordstrom.com

 

Estee Lauder's DayWear is a moisturizer that prevents any future signs of aging with an with antioxidants and SPF 15 UVA/UVB protection. DayWear also has an oil-free face creme for combination skin. Also, it has a tinted moisturizer that comes in a light, light-medium, medium and a dark shade. However, my personal favorite is the DayWear Sheer Tint Release, which comes in a universal, one-shade-fits-all color. Because the DayWear product line has a refreshing cucumber scent, I love using it in the summer! ($48) nordstrom.com

There are many treatments you can do once or twice a week to correct and target your specific skin concerns-uneven skin tone, blemishes, dry and dehydrated skin, age spots, fine lines, and more. 

Estee Lauder  Resilience Lift Extreme: Ultra Firming Mask. As soon as I apply this thick cream mask, I immediately look and feel brighter, less tired-looking and more hydrated skin. I leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and wash it off with a warm face cloth. Although it is not an area of concern for me, this product also boosts skins natural collagen production. ($42.00 2.5 oz.) nordstrom.com



Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Treatment Mask is an anti-aging cream mask is for dry skin and can be tissued off after 5-10 minutes or can be washed off with a warm, wet face towel. ($18.00 4 oz.) burtsbees.com

With any skin type, you should always exfoliate twice a week. Exfoliation has a gritty like feeling, almost like sand and takes away any dead skin . You can always do a micro-dermabrasion treatment, which is more of an intense form of exfoliation. You will feel a warm sensation during this treatment. Over time, these treatments can give your skin more radiance and clarity. It will then improve your normal skin care routine, as it will work more efficiently and products will get absorbed deeper into your skin as a result.

                                          
                                  
Fresh's Sugar Face Polish is a nourishing exfoliant made with pure brown sugar and strawberry that refines and hydrates for a more radiant complexion. When I use it on my face, my skin feels hydrated, refreshed and soft. Even though this line has a lip scrub, I use the face polish on my lips when they are feeling flaky, dry and/or burnt.  ($58.00 4.4 oz.) nordstrom.com

Facial Radiance Overnight Mask is a brightening and hydrating mask that has a rich, gel cream texture.  When I first apply, I immediately feel hydrated. By morning, I look and feel brighter, more rejuvenated and more hydrated. It also reduces the effects of photo aging; pigmentation, loss of collagen and more. I have been in search for a mask to fall in love with. This is my all-time-favorite! Apply two fingertips' worth to your face and massage it in, leaving a small amount of residue and leave on overnight.  It can be worn by itself or over your regular night time skincare regimen, ($38.00 sephora.com).

Flawless Foundation

To neutralize your skin tone and make your foundation last all day, apply a primer. A primer has many benefits. Green and lavender are popular colors used in primers. A green colored primer corrects any redness, such as a blemish or rosacea. If your skin tone is sallow or dull, you would use a lavender colored primer. Just like a bronzer, you would apply a lavender hint to the areas that the sun would naturally hit on your face; cheekbones, nose, and chin. Smashbox cosmetics offers a collection of ten well-known primers called "Photo Finish";

Foundation Primer: Perfect Skin, (Oil Free)
Light: Refresh oily/ sensitive skin (Oil Free)
More than Primer: Blemish Control  (Oil Free)
Foundation Primer SPF 20 with Dermaxyl complex (bronze): Age-defying
More than Primer Unificateur Plus: Fade Dark Spots (Oil Free)
Hydrating: Hydrates skin
Luminizing: Add Radiance (Oil Free)
Color Correcting (green): Banish redness
Color Correcting (apricot): Even skin tone
Color Correcting (lavender): Brighten and even out skin tone
Targeted Pore and Line primer: Target problem areas








   

There are many tips and tricks on how to apply your makeup. There is no right or wrong way to put it on; every makeup artist has their own way. The first step is the foundation. When you're deciding on a foundation, just like the skincare process, ask yourself: “Do I have dry, normal/combination, or oily skin?” Then, it depends on what you want to get out of your foundation. Choose the type of coverage that best fits your desired look. “Sheer” coverage is a natural, lighter foundation. “Medium” coverage is a more moderate foundation, not as light as a sheer coverage, yet not as heavy as a full coverage foundation. “Full” Coverage is more pigmented and longer lasting. Also, there is a photogenic makeup; when you take pictures, you look flawless. If you choose a firming make-up, it won't seep into your fine lines and wrinkles.

 

 

 

 Natural Coverage Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medium Coverage Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full Coverage Foundation







Now that you have chosen what type of makeup you want, it's time to select your shade. There is a cool, neutral, or warm tone for everyone's skin type. “Cool” means you have a pink undertone. “Warm” means you have a yellow undertone and “neutral” means you have neither.


 

 

 

 Put one stripe of each shade along your jawline to get your perfect shade of foundation. If you are alone and without a make up artist, look at the bottom of the bottle; there will be “C” for cool, “W” for warm, and “N” for neutral. Blending downwards all three separately, the color that blends in to your skin color is your perfect match. Now that you have your perfect match, apply using a foundation brush. Squeeze a small amount of the foundation on the back of your hand. With your foundation brush, start by your nose blending outwards towards your jawline. Your skin will look flawless after using a foundation.

Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundation in liquid form is my all-time favorite product! It has a 15-hour wear, medium, buildable coverage and a natural semi-matte finish. I layer the powder form of Double Wear over my foundation for longer staying power. It comes in 26 shades and has an 8-hour stay. It's photo-friendly and oil absorbent. $37/$38 esteelauder.com





 

                              
From left to right: Estee Lauder's Double Wear Powder Foundation ($36.00), Estee Lauder's Powder Foundation Brush 3 ($46.00) Estee Lauder's Foundation Brush 1 ($36.00),  Estee Lauder's Double Wear Liquid Foundation ($37.00), and  esteelauder.com.



To correct any flaws or dark circles under your eyes, use a pink corrector and a concealer that best matches your skin tone. An orange-based corrector blends best into dark or black skin. Always apply your concealer after your foundation. Cause you will defeat the purpose of all your hard work of applying the correctors and concealer. With a concealer brush, start with the inside corner, and sweep the brush downwards, covering the entire eye area.


Bobbi Brown is known for their concealers and correctors. They have a natural, lightweight texture and finish. I carry them around with me when I am feeling tired and dull to give me a little pick-me-up! Bobbi Brown Corrector, (apply under your concealer). ($24.00) bobbibrown.com  Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit, left: concealer, right: setting powder. ($34.00)   bobbibrown.com

Estee Lauder's Double Wear concealer comes in 10 shades and has a luminous finish. I wear this concealer when I am going out for the night. Because it has a 15-hour wear, there is no need to touch up! It's oil-free, water, perspiration resistant and applies with a wand. $23 esteelauder.com

 

 

 Lancôme Effacernes Waterproof Concealer comes in 15 shades and is long-wearing and won't crease. I use it only under my eyes in the shade "light buff", mostly at weddings or funerals when I know I'm going to cry. When I am at the gym, because I hate being naked-faced, I put it on very lightly-only focusing on certain areas. During the summer, when I'm at the beach or by the pool, I use the shade "suede" and put it all over my face as a foundation for a matte, flawless finish. $23 esteelauder.com

I use Bobbi Brown's Face Touch-Up Stick on my blemishes and red, blotchy areas. It is creamy and is easy to apply (even if you do not have mirror handy). It is oil free, so don't be afraid to put it on your big bad zit! ($26.00) bobbibrown.com

Bronze Goddess

 

The foundation creates a one tone look. If you want a sun kissed look, use a bronzer. Apply using a large bronzer brush. Swirl your brush and tap the excess off using the rim of your compact. Put the bronzer where the sun would naturally hit your face; forehead, above your jawline, nose line, and make a V-formation on your neck.

 

 

I don't leave home without Estee Lauder's "Bronze Goddess" no matter what time of year it is; whether it is for a day at the beach or a night out on the town! This oil-free bronzer is buildable and natural-looking ($36.00) esteelauder.com 

 

The Sephora Collection "Pro Airbrush #55" is a bestselling brush and creates an airbrushed finish. I love this brush! ($34) Sephora.com

Nars' "Laguna" bronzer is a lightweight, buildable golden bronzer that comes by itself and in a duo compact with Nars' #1 bestselling "Orgasm" blush. ( Bronzing Powder: $38, Blush/Bronzer Duo: $42) Sephora.com

 

 

 

Blushing

After the bronzer, use a blush to add a pop of color to your cheekbones. To choose your shade of blush squeeze your hand into a fist and release. Look at the palm of your hand. More specifically, the area where your fingers meet your palm. There will be either a; "Pink", "Raspberry", “Plum"," Mandarin" or "Sand" color. Apply your blush by using a blush brush. With a blush brush, dab your brush into your chosen color. Use one side of the brush and sweep two times across the blush. Start by the middle of your ear with the brush angled downwards. Sweep the blush on, following your cheek line towards the tip of your nose, almost touching it.

 

Nars "Orgasm" blush is the bestselling blush at both Nars and the Sephora stores. Anyone could wear this peachy-pink blush. You can layer it with your own shade because it's that natural-looking. Don't be shy ordering this blush because of its scandalous name. It is worth it and your cheeks will be blushing for you! ($30.00) nars.com, Sephora.com

Lancôme's "Cheek Brush #6" ($43) lancome.com

Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick compact in "Rose" gives your skin radiance and a natural glow . You can use it by itself or you can layer it over any blush of your choice. It is not so much shimmery, but it makes your skin glisten. I apply it heavy on my cheeks and a little bit above my eyebrows. Sometimes I use it on my eyes for a natural look and on my lips, over gloss! It also comes in "Pink Quartz", "Bronze" and "Apricot". ($42.00)

                                    Bobbi Brown's Face Blender Brush ($48) bobbibrown.com

Eyes that POP!

Back in the day, everyone wore crazy blue eyeshadow! Now, 20 years later, wacky, vibrant eyeshadow colors are back in style! The difference, however, is how and with what colors are blended and applied together. Never let color intimidate you. Be in control of the application and get ready for the compliments because your eyes will pop!

Long hours at work lead to "Long Islands" at the bar, which requires long-lasting eye makeup! Use a creamy eyeshadow base under your powder shadows. This will enhance your shadows by allowing them to stay true to their original color. I use Estee Lauder's Paint Pots as my base because they are easy to apply with the glide of my fingertip. The Paint Pots are very buildable (sheer, medium, full coverage), have pearl-like shimmer, 12-hour wear and are crease-free. It comes in nine different shades. I mostly use "Halo" because it is a neutral shade, but it is fun to mix shades to create different looks. So have fun and get your drink on! ($24) esteelauder.com

 

There are three ways of putting on eye make-up: a soft natural eye, a romantic contoured eye, and a smokey dramatic eye. Think of the color wheel when you're choosing your eyeshadow. Find your eye color on the wheel. The color directly opposite of it is your most flattering eyeshadow color . For example, with green eyes, “purples”, “plums”,  “lavender” eyeshadows and "slate" eyeliners are flattering. Next, you apply the eyeliner. It can be a pencil, powder, gel or a liquid form. You start from the outer corner, following your eyelashes, making the eyeliner thicker on the outer corner and thinner on the inner.

To achieve the look pictured below, start by applying Estee Lauder's Stay-on Shadow paint in "Pink Zinc" over just the lid.  Sweep the brush into the NARS Shimmer Eyeshadow in "Fathom" over the "Pink Zinc"using a small eyeshadow brush, tapping the excess off, and apply it all over the lid. With a blending brush, apply NARS Shimmer Eyeshadow in "Fez" in the outer corner of the crease. Using a separate brush, apply a NARS Matte eyeshadow in "Abyssinia"to highlight under your brow. Apply Estee Lauder's DoubleWear Eyeliner in "Coffee" on top of your eye lashes starting from the outer corner to the inner corner. Top off the look by using a defining mascara, like Estee Lauder's More Than Mascara in "Black/Brown".

 

 

 

For the contoured eye, as pictured below, use three separate colors. Use a small eyeshadow brush to apply a lighter color, for example a “lilac” all over your lid, then use a contoured brush to apply the second color. The contoured color should be the darker color, for example a "cocoa". With the contoured brush, make a sidewards “u,” starting from the middle of your crease over to the outer corner, following your lashes and stopping in the middle. For the third color, use another small eyeshadow brush to apply it under your brow. For example, you can use an “ivory” color, this is called the highlighter.  Finish the look by applying a volumizing and/or curling mascara to your upper and lower lashes.

 

 

Bobbi Brown's Long Wear Gel Eyeliner glides on smooth with a precise application. To apply, dip the tip of Bobbi Brown's Ultra Fine brush, wipe off the excess and sweep along the lashes starting from the outer corner working your way in to inner corner. This is my favorite eyeliner! Don't get frustrated. Once you get the hang of using the brush with the gel, it will become your favorite too! It comes in 14 shades, so have fun with a variety of color!  ($24) bobbibrown.com

 

 

 

 

Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Bold Volume Mascara makes you look like you have full and curled lashes. The brush defines, curls, volumizes and thickens your lashes with its 360 degree lift. ($24) esteelauder.com

 



 

To create a dramatic eye, start by applying any color cream shadow all over your lid. With a small eyeshadow brush, dab a darker color powder shadow, like MAC's Bronze, all over the cream shadow. Next, with a blending brush, choose a lighter color, like MAC's Jest, sweeping the color in the crease of your eye. Next, with another small brush, apply under your eyebrow as your highlighter, such as MAC's Brulle. With any form of eyeliner, start from the outside of your eye, making your way in. You should gradually draw the line thinner as you move inward. After applying Estee Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place eye pencil in Onyx, follow it with a powder eyeshadow, like MAC's Nehru. Form a "c" shape on the outer corners of your eyes blending into the crease with the Nehru eyeshadow, as well. Finish your dramatic eye with a volumizing mascara. Apply the mascara thickly both on top and on bottom of your lashes. I love Estee Lauder's Turbo mascara!

 

 

 

 

Estee Lauder's Stay-in-Place eyeliners glide on with their creamy formula and are smudge-free. This eyeliner wears for 12 hours and comes in seven different shades. Sometimes I overlap the eyeliners and make it into a cream shadow and put a powder eyeshadow on top of them to give them a dramatic look. For instance, the "coffee" and "bronze" look pretty together with MAC's "Amber Lights" eyeshadow on top! ($22) esteelauder.com

 

 

 

 

I love Estee Lauder's Turbolash mascara. You can apply it as many times throughout the day as you want and its clump-free. It vibrates, so when you turn that baby on, the brush does all the work! It does it all: volume, length, curl and separates lashes to define them! It is worth every penny! ($38) esteelauder.com