J's Top 10 Makeup Habits to Leave in 2010

So here is my top 10 list of bad habits to ditch!
1. Skipping the Gym!
Apart from making you feel good, exercise as we all know increases blood flow to the skin.  Voila you get a super healthy looking flushed look on your face! Since exercise decreases stress and tension it reduces cortisol levels which reduces the acne and skin aggravations that are caused by being super frazzled!

Which leads me to number...

2. Eating Junk Food
The old adage "you are what you eat" has definitely been proven.  According to the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology , High glycemic foods and processed carbs lead to more breakouts and stimulate oil producing hormones.  So ditch the chips and sodas and stick to healthy snacks suck as nuts, raw veggies, peanut butter and fruits.  Follow @ToscaReno @AmyLeeMartin @Jamie_Eason on twitter for great tips on eating healthy!

3. Don't drink too much!
Yes I know I'm taking all the fun out but if you must drink have a glass of red wine which is packed with antioxidants and artery scrubbing flavonoids (see Blue Zone) I Love the book by Dan Buetnner that discovers how centenarians are able to live so long.  On the other hand drink too much increases inflammation and can lead to skin sagging over time.

4.Not washing your face at night!
Did you know that if you sleep in your makeup you age 7 days? Congrats you are now seven days older than you were the day before. Leaving your makeup on clogs pores and leaving all the sweat and daily grind junk and oil causes free radical damage to increase.  Another reason is that skin repairs itself at nite hence the ageing when you leave it on. Finally, it creates a breeding ground for bacteria, eww grossies!

Which leads me to number...

5 Not washing you makeup Brushes
Dirty makeup brushes are GROSSIES!!! They transfer old makeup, germs, and bacteria each time you use them and who wants that on their skin. Dirty makeup brushes prevent a flawless application so for a younger looking you keep those darn brushes clean!

6. Neglecting You Eyes!
The skin around our eyes is thinner than the skin in any other part of our body, add constant rubbing and pulling and you are sure to start seeing signs of aging.  So number 1) Stop Rubbing your Eyes, 2) use a daily eye cream in the A.M. and Before bed. I use Arbonne's Intelligence line Daily Eye Cream. 3) Stop waxing, waxing pulls the skin and causes trauma to the skin around the eye, opt for tweezing or threading which is less traumatic on the skin.

7. Matching your makeup to your outfit
Yes, I have said this one too many please don't match your makeup to your clothes.  This makes you look dated and old. Instead try this if you are wearing an over the top outfit with lots of bright colors and bling try a soft neutral palette and enhance the drama on your makeup with liquid liner and some "wow" falsies.  If you are going for a little black dress or neutral colors play up your eyes with a purple smokey or do a vintage look with hot red lips and ultra thick liner.

8. Playing up 1 feature not all of them
If your going ultra dramatic in the eyes play down your lip color and if you have soft natural colors on your eyes then tweak up you look with red, orange or hot pink lips! Do one or the other but please don't do both.

9. Bleeding red Lips
So if you decided to play your lips up select a color staying rouge.  Try MAC Prolong Wear Lip Cream in Prolong, Perpetual Flame or Extended Play or MAC Prolong wear Lipcolour in Passion Preserved. Remember to line your lips with a lip liner and gently trace the outside of your lips with powder to keep it from feathering.

And Finally....

10. Baked to the MAX
Using bronzers is a great way to make you look young and dewey but use too much and people are FAUX sure to tell its caked on #FAIL.  Go easy on bronzers and choose one that is for your skin tone all bronzers are not made equal.  choose one too dark and you look muddy, too orange HELLO Oompa Loopma and to gold and well you'll be Goldmember from Austin Powers.  2-3 shades darker than your skin color is a good practice and use it on your hollows of your cheeks, jawline, nose chin and forehead lightly. The key is to looked a little sunkissed not total bake!

So practice good habits in 2011 everyone.... Happy New Years with Love J Zubire The Makeup Artist

Stage Makeup 101: Part 2 how to get clear skin!

So in my last blog I talked about toners. Here is a quick and natural facial mask and toner you can make at home to help you combat acne prone skin, acne scars and dry skin.

The facial mask can be used up to 7-10 days prior to your competition date. The toner can be used daily or every other day throughout your entire contest prep and post!

It's quick easy and you make it at home using the following ingredients: Apple Cider Vinegar, sugar, honey, and green tea!

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV): those of us in the health and fitness industry love it's amazing benefits. Well when used in this mask and toner, the alpha hydroxy and amino acids help dissolve dead skin cells and fatty deposits in the skin. Its PH balance and helps unclog pores.

Sugar: helps exfoliate

Honey: it's a natural treatment for acne. It reduces redness and swelling!

Green tea: another favorite of our it detoxified the skin and repairs cells

Facial mask
1tsp ACV, 7 tsp sugar, 1tsp honey, 2 tsp green tea
Stir into a cement constancy use about 2 tsps full and store the rest in a jar refrigerate up to 3 weeks. Apply 2 tsp to face with a cotton ball. Using circular motions and fingertips gently massage mask for 3-5 min. Leave on for 10 min then rinse of. Use 1-2 times a week.

Toner
1part ACV 3parts green tea 1tsp olive oil (oil optional)
If it's too strong for sensitive skin use 5 part ratio 1part green tea 4 parts tea

Shake in jar and apply with a cotton ball my don't rub tap! Store in fridge and use daily.

I promise you will have softer smoother skin with less visible acne for those with extreme acne and for those with mild less episodes during competition prep!

Oh FYI use at night because ACV has a real pungent smell and don't use regular vinegar it's distiller and too hard on your skin. We are trying to get rid of acne not make it worse!

Stay tuned to Stage Makeup 101!
Thanks everyone!
J Zubire The Makeup Artist