Secrets of Beauty

Under-eye concealers can be one of the hardest eye makeup products to use if you don’t have the right color for you. There are under-eye concealers and there are color correctors. Depending on your issue that you are having, most use concealers are for covering dark circles under their eyes. Yet this is one of the biggest problem, you may be using your concealer incorrectly. If you use it correctly often you can go without wearing foundation as well. This is why its crucial to know which the right formula and right shade for you. In this article we will be talking about under-eye concealers only.

Why would you use a concealer? The main reasons why you might be in need of a concealer camouflage dark under eye circles. A color corrector is usually used to cover up blemish and hid redness you may find around your nose and between your eye brows.

Often depending on how dark your circles may be under your eyes, you may really need both.

Unfortunately many make the mistake of choosing the wrong shade of concealer bringing attention to what they are covering up. You have all seen someone who has made this mistake because they use a color that is too light for them giving them the raccoon look.

Under eye concealers come in a variety of shades and one should pick a color that matches your skin tone.

Under-eye concealers come in four types, stick, cream, liquid and powder.

How does one pick which type of concealer is best for you? Each type works well for everyone. Powder concealer is better for those under 40 because if you don’t apply it correctly, powder concealer could settle in the fine lines around your eyes bringing attention to that you are trying to conceal.

Stick type concealer are easy to use because you can apply it right to your skin. Many do not use it straight from the stick, instead they use a makeup brush or their fingers to be sure not to apply too much. Another problem with stick concealers are most are too heavy because of their thick consistency. They also can come all ready packaged up making it harder to pick the right shade for you. Often cheaper drugstore brands will only come in only three shades. Making it almost impossible to find the right shade for you.

Cream concealers usually come in a tube with a sponge-tipped applicator. This type is usually not as thick as a stick concealer could be, which when used gives you a more natural look. Easier to apply by just dotting a little bit around your eye and blending it in with a tapping motion with your finger or brush.

Liquid concealers also tends to come in a tube. This one you can apply with your fingers or brush as well. It may or may not come with a sponge tipped applicator. When you apply either cream or liquid concealers, use your ring finger because it is the weakest finger and is less likely to drag the delicate skin around your eyes.

Powder concealers are the newest types of concealers now available. Usually made with minerals they work best on the younger set. Most women can use a yellow-tone loose powder concealer. Those who are super pale may need a white-tone powder instead.

They are best applied with a round tip makeup brush. This type of makeup brush will apply the powder in the right areas without getting it all over your cheek. Remember also with powder concealers, a little bit goes a long way and you always apply more if its not covering up what you are wanting it to.

There you have it, the different types of concealers you have to pick from. If you are not sure which is the better concealer for you, visit your local department store that offers makeup artists. They can help you pick the best one for you by showing what the different types are and how to apply them.

Copyright 2009 Kim Snyder Owner of Overallbeauty.com Great lover of helping others with their beauty care and products, never happy without trying to make the world a little prettier for all. Visit Overallbeauty.com to see the latest in beauty products and skin care.

Attn: Ezine editors / site owners. Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your website as long as you leave the links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above.

Tags: beauty, beauty tips, makeup tips

Antioxidants are found in most skincare products and specially in ones for anti-aging.
The most popular antioxidants that are used for skin care products are the vitamins A, C and E.

Scientific tests have shown that they help to improve the condition of the skin and reduce additional damage occurring that causes the aging effect that we are seeking to eliminate.

The damage to the skin is caused by free radicals and antioxidants help to fight off these free radicals and thereby improve the condition of the skin. Free radicals cause damage to your skin over time so using any skincare product on your face that helps fight them off, is a good idea!

Antioxidants are in no way harmful to the skin and not only can they protect the skin from damage but they have been to shown to actually reverse some of the damage that has already occurred to the skin of many people.

This has an anti aging effect and the publicity that has surrounded the discovery of this information has resulted in antioxidants being included in almost all skin care products to meet the demands of the consumer.

Sun damaged skin in particular has been shown to improve in condition when antioxidants have been applied directly to the affected area.

There are various different sources of antioxidants and some of the more popular ones are grape seed extract and green tea extract. There is one out of the United Kingdom called Rapeseed Extract which is what they use instead of Olive Oil. It works amazing with your skin. One brand called Natural Empathy use it in their skin care product line. Worth really checking them out!

Grape seed extract has shown to reduce inflammation of the skin and in addition it helps to strengthen the capillary walls. It is a popular inclusion in many skin care products due to these properties.

Green tea on the other hand has shown to reduce the size of pre-cancerous skin lesions in various tests due to the active ingredient catechins.

With the use of these naturally occurring antioxidants the damage that is caused to the skin by the free radicals that degrade the collagen and elastin is reduced and the positive effect that they have in assisting the skin to renew damaged cells has the desired anti aging effect that people are looking for.

Just a little information you might be interested in reading about when trying to understand what antioxidants are and why they just might be good for you inside and out!

Tags: beauty tips, skin care tips, skincare

We’ve all had them from time to time – those wonderful dark circles under our eyes that either means tiredness or a good night before, amongst other things. Whether you’re a young party goers or someone of an older disposition, these often-unattractive patterns are there for everyone to see. But what causes them and how can we remove them?

The Causes of Dark Circles Under Eyes
There are a number of ways that dark circles under eyes can be caused, and although they are more prevalent in people of an older age, they can affect the young too. Some of the more common reasons for dark circles are: · Old age. As we grow older, our skin becomes more translucent and this in turn makes the veins underneath our skin come to the fore. This results in the dark circle look.

· Diet. We’ve all heard of how a balanced diet is good for our overall health, and this includes our eyes. Lack of nutrients can lead to our bodies breaking down, again leading to dark circles under our eyes.

· Sleep deprivation. Whether you’re burning the candles at both ends, or suffer from sleep problems, the end result is the same, and often more pronounced as the eyes get puffier when tired.

How can I remove Dark Circles Under my Eyes?
Although they can be slightly ugly and give you a more haggard appearance than normal, the good news is that dark circles under the eyes can be cared for quite easily, and are not usually permanent (unless there is a bigger underlying issue, such as insomnia, where medical advice should be sought).

“There is a great product by Ella Blue called Shadow Magnet.. It works to help hide the dark circles! Check out Shadow Magnet by visiting Overall Beauty ~ Ella Blue Shadow Magnet comes in Light or Natural.”

There are a number of ways you can help prevent the build-up of dark circles in the first place, and they include:

· If you’re out in bright sunshine, always wear dark sunglasses. Combine this with a strong sunscreen for the area around your eyes, such as Factor 30 – not only will this protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays, it will keep your skin strong.

· Drink lots of water. Pure water has long been associated with smoother skin and an effective barrier against aging. · Get as much rest as you can. Not only will you feel more alert yourself, your eyes will feel less strained, reducing the chances of dark circles under them.

If you have already noticed that you have dark circles under your eyes, then there are a number of methods you can make use of to reduce the circles, and they can all be used with simple household items:

Cut some cool cucumber into two slices and apply them over your closed eyelids. Leave them on for 15 minutes for the best results.

Similarly, get two cool teabags (normal tea, though, not herbal) and apply them to your closed eyes as you would the cucumber.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables with Vitamin C and iron. When these two vitamins are combined, they strengthen the skin, once again reducing the chances of dark circles under the eyes.

Copyright Kim Snyder, owner Overallbeauty.com. Great lover of all natural beauty care and all natural skincare products. Offering mineral makeup, glam gloss, killer body cremes and more. Never happy without trying to make the world a little prettier for all.

Visit her at Overallbeauty’ Beauty Blog to see the latest in cosmetics, articles, tips and so much more.

Attn Ezine editors/website owners Free feel to preprint this article in its entirely in your ezine or on your website. As long as you leave the links in place. Do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above.

Tags: beauty article, beauty tips, dark circles, eye care, makeup tips

If you are like anyone else, you love to wash your hair at least every other day of not daily. As you lather up you can help but love the feeling of all those bubbles but did you know that the very ingredients that give you that amazing lather may also be the most damaging to your hair?

sulfate free shampoo

Most mainstream shampoos contain sulfates which is great for making lots of lather but not so great for your personal health, your hairs health and even the environments health.

So why are the mainstream companies still using sulfates in their brands of shampoos?

For the most part it is because sulfates are cheap to make and create lots of lather. Being that we are all have become accustom to the idea that lots of bubbles means really clean hair they keep making cheap shampoo’s.

Just what are sulfates and why are they an issue? You will find the in the shampoo’s ingredient listed as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) which are in fact really a harsh chemical surfactants that are found in lots of other products including toothpaste. They are known to cause eye and skin irritation plus when you use shampoo that contains these ingredients they can be absorbed through the skin.

Did you know that sulfates are really far from being gentle and can be causing damage on the very thing you are trying to pamper? Yes your hair! Sulfates are very drying and can damage hair follicles which could lead to hair loss. All because we really enjoy our amazing lather while washing our hair. It can also strip the hair and scalp of essential oils causing that drying effect. Worse if you are spending lots of money to color your hair, it causes the color to fade quicker so you have to get your hair colored more often.

If you want to change your brand of shampoo and start looking into more natural and or organic shampoos but don’t know what to look for? Here are a few tips on what to look for while reading the shampoo bottle label.

Look for ingredients such as gylcerine and glucosides that come naturally from corn and sugar. Usually found on the label as decyl glucodisde or coco-glucoside. These ingredients won’t give you that lots of lather you maybe accustom to but try it for a few weeks and your hair will become healthier, shinier, silkier and softer. Now isn’t that a great trade off?

One finally thought, sulfate-free shampoos; are going to cost a bit more than your mainstream shampoos do because of their ingredients. So don’t be surprised at that, but you will in fact use less to cleanse your hair and your hair will be better over all. Isn’t that worth a extra few dollars at the counter? Your hair will love you for it!

The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes. The information contained herein is not intended to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional hairstylist advice.

Copyright 2009 Kim Snyder Owner Overall Beauty, where beauty rules!

Offering only the finest in mineral makeup, U faKtor Sulfate-Free shampoos & Conditioners, natural/organic skincare and BB Couture nail polish, and more!

Attn: Ezine & website editors. You may reprint this article in your ezine or website as long as byline and copyright are included with it.

Tags: beauty article, haircare, sulfate-free shampoo, U FaKtor

Wishing you and yours the best Christmas ever!

Blessing of good will to all mankind

I got asked this most interesting question today about nail polish..  The question I was asked was does dark nail polish dry faster than light nail polish?

After looking into this question being that it is dark nail polish season (WOOT! Bring them on baby!) this is what I found out. No dark nail polish doesn’t dry faster than light nail polish does. For some reason it takes dark polish longer to dry specially if it has glitter in as well. BUT I have found that BB Couture dark nail polish colors dries faster than OPI’s when testing them against each other. In fact light dries faster and doesn’t show if you chip it or smudge it either as much as dark nail polish does. When it comes to applying dark nail polish one must use less and wait at least 2 minutes between coats. I have found that some either need 3 coats of polish when applying some dark nail polish colors over light nail polish colors.

The best thing you can do is after you have applied your nail polish either dark or light color use a good top coat. I have personally found that Top Rock by BB Couture is the best there is! Top Rock top coat comes Raspberry scent and those with a little extra time Extreme Top Rock is even better! Pretty hard to beat Top Rock but Extreme Top Rock has been tested out on my fingernails wearing Dragon’s Breath and has lasted up to a week before chipping! Now I am someone who isn’t easy on her nails, I type a lot so I am always busy and not having your nail polish chip within a few days is great!

Top Rock

I hate chipped nail polish and I don’t really care if some famous actors are into showing off their nails with chipped polish. I think it just shows they are too lazy to get their nails fixed.

In fact from Overall Beauty here is a review for Top Rock!

“This top coat is awesome! So far no chips or peeling! Which is a major plus, but come on how can you not like a top coat that dries and smells like raspberries after. That is some crazy cool effect! It also applies really great, just like their regular polishes. The application of all their nail products are way smoother than most of the other nail polishes.” ~ Jen

For those looking for a great nail polish deal, all orders of BB Couture nail polish if you order 3 or more nail polishes get a FREE Top Rock! From now till the end of the year! Its that good and I want everyone to test it out and give me their thoughts. Don’t you want the best for your nails?

Tags: beauty tips, dark nail polish, light nail polish

My sister is getting married a little later this year, and as her sister I have lots of planning to do. One of the big events will be a bachelorette party along with bachelorette gifts. We’ll probably have a little shindig at my house, followed by some sort of gallivanting thereafter. I have a feeling her bachelorette gifts will lean towards the naughty and the risque to make her good and embarrassed and put on the spot in a way only a good sister can orchestrate.

Some ideas for bachelorette gifts that we will likely bestow upon her include: all sorts of jellies and powders and creams and sprays to enhance her love life, teeny tiny items of material that resemble dental floss and yet are meant for wearing, and of course some heftier items including a lightweight whip, and maybe a pair of handcuffs for good measure. Most of these bachelorette gifts will be meant as pranks and jokes, however, I’m sure she will also receive some valuable items including lingerie, bath items and possibly some actual items that the happy couple can enjoy together. Massage candles are a really good gift idea, and not just for smelling either!

BB Couture Massage Candles

I’ve had to buy bachelorette gifts in the past. One of the funniest bachelorette gifts I ever purchased was a cardboard carton called ‘Make-out Take-out’ which contained a variety of naughty toys and gags. The actual carton was similar to the old-style Chinese food cartons, and it really made for a novel bachelorette gift.

I doubt we will include strippers in our evening. The bachelorette gifts will be naughty and good for a laugh, but none of us are likely to go so far as to create a potential problem for the couple. Marriage is pretty serious business - it’s okay to lighten things up a bit - but we’re of the opinion that including strippers (even as a joke) is going too far and it undermines the seriousness of marriage. We can only hope that the grooms friends feel the same way.

Even still, we love a good joke, and I quite look forward to terrorizing my sister will all manner crazy, risque and off-the-wall bachelorette gifts. After all, she is my sister and part of my job is to embarrass her and get her laughing. We have many close friends who will also be dying to get in on the action.  I have no doubt that the bachelorette gifts that they purchase will be right out-on-a-limb and we will have an evening full of laughter, embarrassment and fun. My sister is nearly 29 and she has waited a long time to find just the right guy to marry. We are all very relieved that the big day if coming up quickly. This should be a bachelorette party and a pile of bachelorette gifts to remember for a good long while!

Copyright Kim Snyder Offering only the finest in gift-giving beauty products for self and all your holiday season needs. Visit us today at Overallbeauty.com

Tags: gift ideas, massage candles

Giving gifts to teens can be easy or hard really depending on your teenager and what they might be into at the time. Giving simple gift baskets to your teenage girls can be super simple to buy or create yourself. As parents we know what our teens may or may not be wanting this year. Here are some gift ideas for the teenager in your life.
Nail polish gift sets. All teenagers specially girls love nail polish! Why not put together a nail polish gift basket with some of the hottest nail polish colors out this year? Popular colors in nail polish are purples, browns and reds for all ages. Then add to it a gift certificate to visit your nail tech for her very first manicure or nail set. All girls love feeling pretty and having fingernails with the latest nail polish colors or styles are sure to be a winner this year.

Gamer gift baskets for the guys or girls. These are easy to put together, add snack foods that they can eat while playing their favorite games. Be sure to ask your teenager what games they are into and what they might be wanting this year. New games for all play systems come out often and teenagers love to have the most up to date games to play with or against their friends. Maybe give them a coupon book filled with coupons for days you won’t might having a little party for them with just their friends over. If they have gaming accessories they been wanting why not add them as well?  If you can’t think of a game or don’t want to ask them, why not add a gift certificate to their favorite game store? This will be sure to be a hit this year!
Manicure/Pedicure Gift Sets. These are great for boys and girls of all ages. For the girls you could create a whole gift basket all about caring for their nails and toes. With the latest in BB nail polish colors, cuticle oil, top coats, base coats, nail files etc. And why not add a book on tips for caring for their fingernails and toes naturally? Or write your own little tips book on how to give yourself a manicure/pedicure. The information is easy to come by all over the web.  For the guys there are manicure sets made just for men. The guys tend not to take too much about their nails but if you drop hints that girls like men with well cared for fingernails, I’m betting they will start using it right away!
As always there are gift baskets that come pre-made with the latest in organic/natural handcrafted bath and body products.  With a little thought and understanding your teenager’s likes and dislikes, you can create a gift basket filled with their favorite bath products. Or you can save time by having one created for you and shipped to your home. What child of any age doesn’t love getting something in the mail?

Copyright 2008 Kim Snyder Owner Overall Beauty, where beauty rules!
Offering only the finest in mineral makeup, natural skincare and BB Couture nail polish, manicure/pedicure gift sets and more!

Attn: Ezine & website editors. You may reprint this article in your ezine or website as long  as byline and copyright are included with it. Visit Overallbeauty.com today!

Tags: bb nail polish, manicure/pedicure gift sets, nail polish gift sets

If you have ever watched the makeover programs that they have on television from time to time you will notice that the people they often chose for the shows where they are trying to make people look ten years younger or thereabouts are those who smoke. Even though after they are finished with their makeovers they at times do not stick to it.

There is a very good reason for this and that is simply because smokers will generally look a lot older than others of the same age. Smoking does so much damage to your face that you don’t see because its below the skin. It will dry out your skin and make your fine lines wrinkles around your mouth and eyes show up sooner.

Smoking is only second to over exposure to the sun for making the skin look old, tired and unhealthy. Of course there are the other factors that need to be considered with smoking such as lung cancer that will certainly shorten your life and decrease the quality of life along the way.

Smoking will also discolor teeth and teeth discoloration is something that is associated with aging. The smokers hair will also usually be somewhat discolored too. The smell doesn’t leave you either specially if you smoke in your house.

Smoking leaches a lot of goodness out of the body and that is shown in the skin causing a lifeless dry condition.

Wrinkles also form around the lips of smokers from the action of sucking on the cigarette on such a regular basis and it is common for smokers to have more frown lines due to the fact that they often have to look through the smoke haze that they are expelling in front of their eyes.

When you add all these negative effects together it becomes easy to see why smokers look so much older for their age and how eliminating smoking can stop the speed of the aging process and to some extent reverse the trend.

Once smoking has ceased then various skin treatments, tooth whitening procedures and other positive anti aging processes can be implemented that will help the person to look considerably younger and healthier, provided they don’t resort to smoking again.

Halloween  is this time of year where everyone gets to be a little crazier than normal. So why wear boring nail polish when you can wear really cool colors like Cash Black or Tangerine Scream? Well BB Couture over at Overallbeauty.com has got the Halloween nail polish set that you must have for all your haunting you are going to be doing this year.

Cash Black and Tangerine Scream!

And get this, they are only $15.00 for the set! Yeah wow huh? BB Couture nail polish is usually $8.00 a bottle so buying these as a set saves you money! Even bigger secret is this, if you buy this set of nail polish and tell them that you saw it over at Secrets of Beauty? You get a FREE Makeup DVD to go with it! Can’t beat that deal huh? Ok not everyone wants to be the undead on Halloween, some of us love to dress up and do our makeup to make us look super hot. Halloween is fun time to play around and be someone you aren’t.. Like Marilyn Monroe! How to do her makeup is on that Makeup DVD! How that’s for coolest?

Tags: bb nail polish, black nail polish, halloween nail polish