Makeup Trends 2012

We are honored today to have Carly Schroeder as our guest author from The Boss of Gloss, a blog dedicated to all things in the makeup-skincare world. We asked Carly to write about spring/summer 2012 beauty trends and give you her own personal guide of when to splurge and when to save! Each product image below is linked to the company site (just click the photo) so you can see where each product is sold in your local market, or order online.

 

Hello Ladies! I was so honored to be asked by my friends at StyleBlueprint to write about this spring and summer’s beauty trends. I hope these helpful hints and suggestions save you some time and money when you’re revamping your look this season.

Before we dive in, my #1 tip is this: in almost all circumstances, less is more in the makeup world. Choose to play up your best features by delicately highlighting them. Piling on too much product only ages us, so resist that urge! With that, let’s get started!

Face Wash:

I save on face wash, I always have – always will. I comb drugstores for cheap and good brands; my current favorites are: Cetaphil and Purpose.

The Blank Canvas: moisturizer, complexion enhancer and foundation.

Foundation is essentially what creates your blank canvas – if it’s not fabulous and flawless, the whole look is going to fail. So, this is where I really splurge: moisturizer with SPF, complexion enhancer, and foundation.

During this time of year I use ReVive’s Cellular Repair (SPF 15) Cream as my daily moisturizer. I love that it has SPF! Although the price tag is steep, it eliminates a step and saves precious time, plus it fights wrinkles, promotes cell turnover and protects skin from the sun. That’s a lot of bang for your buck.

After my moisturizer, I apply By Terry’s Complexion Enhancer (I like the “midnight mauve” shade). It gives that ‘lit from within’ look and acts similar to a primer. I’m obsessed! On weekends, I sometimes use just the enhancer for the day with mascara and gloss. This decadent, rose scented cream smooths flaws and deflects light, making your skin look super healthy and radiant.

Color correction is extremely difficult to achieve while still looking natural. By Terry’s products are the only ones thus far that have eased my struggle. At 32, I’m generally wrinkle-free, but trust me, I have other issues I like to cover.  I have a lot of redness and an overall uneven skin tone. I alternate between By Terry’s Hyaluronic Face Glow and By Terry’s Plumping Fluid Foundation.  I sometimes even mix the two. Again, they are pricey but they make me about as airbrushed as I’m ever going to look.

 

Eyes and Lips:

Pick one feature that you’re going to play up: eyes or lips. I stick to the rule of thumb of doing one or the other and not both. A heavy smoky eye and hot pink lip is just way too much and far too distracting for everyday life.

Eyes:

If you choose to play up the eyes (usually the route I go) it is always pretty, and still office appropriate, to do a bronze smoky eye. Light shades of gold, rose gold, and bronze are gorgeous layered or alone with various brown eyeliners. If you want to step it up a notch and try a look with a little more edge (fun for evenings!) then I suggest a navy blue smoky eye. I’m obsessed with Giorgio Armani’s Eyes To Kill shadows – I use “khaki pulse” (bronze) or “pulp fiction” (blue/pewter). These shadows have multidimensional shimmer but aren’t so glittery that you feel like a 15 year old. One little pot basically creates the smoky eye for you. All I add is liner (I’m a fan of Armani’s liners too, though I have girlfriends who use drugstore liners and love them) and a touch of highlighter at the brow bone; any pale white or neutral shimmer will do. The shadow is what is most important.  Armani’s shadows won’t crease if you jump in the ocean after it’s been on your lids for 8 hours — yet it comes off easily with makeup remover. No joke.

Lips:

If I do a smoky eye, I keep my lips very neutral and one of my constant, decade long, go-to staples is $6 Smith’s Rosebud Salve. I also love natural pink glosses from Armani and By Terry.  Though if you want to save… Smith’s salve is the way to go!  Smith’s can be used to heal dry cuticles and add gloss to eyes, hair, basically anything that needs a little shine.

 

 

It is super hot this year to rock a relatively bare face with minimal eye makeup and a statement lip  – usually with a hot pink or coral color. I love that look! If you’re feeling timid – try a bright lip stain instead. I think it’s nice to choose a matte formula. Matte feels a little more modern and hip. Shiny coral lipstick is (and always will be) best reserved for the age 80+ heavily tanned South Beach crowd… unless of course you’re a professional model working a retro pool shoot. My favorite lipstick brand is Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture. It is smooth and creamy and has ultimate staying power without drying out your pout. I also just discovered and am really enjoying Kevyn Aucoin’s “Creamy Glow” which works on lips and cheeks. It is a gorgeous, sheer wash of highly pigmented color that is error proof. I wore the creamy glow last Saturday night with minimal makeup (neutral gloss & mascara) and used the “liquifuschia” shade (matte hot pink) on my lips and cheeks and loved it. It’s fresh, easy and fun. I also love how the Aucoin line is very reasonably priced. This is another 2-for-1 product that cuts down on time, money and room in your cosmetic bag!

Cheeks:

I’m blush application challenged, but there is no denying that it ups the ante on any look. I have found that liquid or cream blushes are a little easier to work with than powder because you can blend them with your fingers and build them as needed. I love By Terry’s Rose de Rose sheer liquid blush. Bright pinks and corals are also hot cheek colors for the season (yes, just like lip color), and they’re surprisingly wearable when done right. Don’t apply heavy handed – start sheer and gradually build up to the color you desire. The supremely talented can expertly layer bronzer with a pop of bright color on the apples of cheeks resulting in a fabulous effect. I can only successfully pull off this look on occasion. Blush can migrate and it can also highlight flaws and imperfections. For these reasons, I would not try to save money on blush, you want one that will stay put.  Plus, the Aucoin product I mentioned above is only $24!!

Lashes:

Many people choose to save on drugstore mascara. Maybelline’s Great Lash (in the old school green and pink bottle) has been an award winner since its inception. Revlon also has some formulas that are fantastic, too. I do not save on mascara, but honestly, as you have already seen – and my husband can vouch for – I don’t save on much. Now, it’s out. I’m not a saver, although I wish I were! I alternate between Trish McEvoy’s Curling mascara (my lashes stick straight out & this keeps them curled all day) and By Terry’s Mascara Terrybly which has a lash growth ingredient. It’s like a one-two punch! Both of these formulas are incredible; they lengthen, separate, curl and never clump or flake and I know for a fact that these are the two mascaras the StyleBlueprint gals swear by!

Last tip:

Beautiful and healthy skin is your most important feature – take care of yourself.  Use SPF daily (it’s never too late to start), eat a healthy diet, stay active, and when you can, splurge on products that are really going to work for you, like the ones I mentioned above!

XOXO The Boss of Gloss, thebossofgloss.blogspot.com