Expert Tips & Advice

Have you ever walked into a room and felt like a slob compared to the other perfectly primped women there? I can’t always put my finger on what it is - maybe it’s their styled hair, immaculate outfits, or glowing skin. But they get ample compliments and seem to have a certain strut. Most days, I’m lucky if I walk out the door with curls in both sides of my hair.
I had a date night with my husband this past weekend. But since I have no life these days, my glamorous evening routine was getting a little rusty. I was determined to spend the time to look and feel extra-special.

My getting-ready-for-summer routine is definitely not the glamorous process it used to be. I used to spend countless hours and amounts of money getting highlights, bikini waxes, and spray tans to primp for summer pool parties and beach days. But I spent last summer pregnant, and these days, after raising a newborn, I consider it a huge feat if I find time to shave my legs! 

This year, my summer prep is all about the time limit and the tight budget. So in one trip to Target I got two adorable sundresses for under $30, and I mixed and matched $10 bikini tops and bottoms (now that I’ve finally graduated from my post-pregnancy one-piece). And I picked up Neutrogena Instant Bronze Sunless Tanner and Bronzer in One Foam for less than $10 - I can slather it on at my daughter’s friends’ pool parties for an instant tan, and be tan by the time it gets wiped off when I’m drying her off.

                           
Three-minute makeup?  Yeah, right!  In my ideal world, I’d have an hour a day to perfect my face. From foundation to eyebrows, no makeup would be left behind. I’d finish by curling my lashes, then applying multiple coats of mascara - lengthening after volumizing over a base of lash primer.

But let’s get real. These days, I have to take myself from worn-out to polished in 3 minutes flat. When I’m rushing out the door to get my kids to school or hurrying to an event straight from work, there’s no time for multiple color palettes or matching lipliner.

That’s when I pull out my emergency makeup kit.  If I’m gonna get ready fast, I need basic products I can apply with my fingers, without a mirror, and without much time. I now keep one at my desk, one in my gym bag, and even one in my diaper bag.  Every woman, makeup maven or not, should have these 5 products with her at all times.

Watching the Oscars Sunday was so much fun! I was so busy deciding which stars had the best makeup that I barely paid attention to which movies took home the awards. I’m talking glamorous makeup, not Star Trek makeup. One of my faves was actually Helen Mirren, nominated for best actress in a leading role for her work in The Last Station. She had flawless-looking skin, long lashes, and pretty pastel eye shadow, lips, and cheeks to compliment her lavender dress.

Every year, whether we welcome it or not, the big “V” day comes around. The first thing I think of is getting pretty, although my husband just limited my manicure allotment to once every other month. But even so, I plan to doll it up to be a beauty treat! Here’s my routine:

- Mani/Pedi must
I get it done at a salon when I can, or I skip on the French tips to save a few bucks. If you can’t afford to splurge, just pick up a couple of items from the drugstore (like a cuticle cutter and a four-sided buffing nail file), and do it yourself!

- Victoria’s Secret, Frederick’s, or bust
Every time I walk into Victoria’s Secret I tend to gravitate toward the oh-so-soft and comfy pajamas, but not for Valentine’s Day!  It’s time for the perfect push-up bra I saw on the cover of the catalog, since I’m determined to look like the women in the catalog for a night (minus the wind blowing my hair indoors). Even if you don’t have a Valentine’s date, doesn’t it just feel good to know you’re wearing something sexy under your regular clothes?

We all long for longer lashes.  But what lengths will we go to get them, and what are we willing to risk?

Latisse, a prescription treatment meant to grow longer, fuller, darker lashes, was actually released in 2001 as a Glaucoma medication called Lumigen.  The side effects of Lumigen were longer lashes.

Besides costing over $100 a month and about $300 before full results can be realized, Latisse also needs to be used continuously to maintain results - which gets expensive!

Now for the not-so-luxurious side effects…

Fads come and go.  But trends reflect a true shift in value.  It’s 2010.  These days, you may value time more than material things, want proof that something works, and long to treat yourself with affordable luxury.  These are some of the trends emerging in the market this year, and just what we provide for you at Breakthrough in Beauty.

It’s a new year.  Out with the old and in with the new - even beauty products.  It’s time to take a look through your bathroom cabinets and finally toss out those expired products that have been sitting around for years.  There aren’t any hard-and-fast rules for exactly when to throw out old makeup or skincare products, but we’d like to share some general guidelines and helpful tips for you to keep in mind.

I once heard the oh-so-true saying that “brows should be siblings, not twins”.  Tweezing your eyebrows so that they line up perfectly can be agonizing.  And getting them professionally tweezed, waxed, or threaded each time can get expensive.  Instead, try mastering the steps below to get your brows in shape.

Let’s face it.  Most mornings, there’s not time to take the extra steps to prep our skin properly for flawless makeup application.  Sometimes, I find myself subtracting minutes from my morning beauty routine depending on how many times I’ve hit the snooze button on my alarm.  However, taking the extra time to prime your skin for makeup when getting dolled up for special occasions, weekends, or holidays, can really make a difference in creating a seamless look.  Here are some ways to prime your skin for ideal makeup application:

Winter is fast approaching, and as it starts to get colder outside, our skin tends to become drier.  You may not realize that certain things we do contribute to our dry skin.  For example, I happen to love blasting the hot water in the shower so I defrost like a snowwoman in the morning, and I love leaving the space heater on all day to stay cozy.  However, both of these suck the moisture from skin and leave it itchy and dry.

Here are some tips to keep your skin hydrated and protected even in cold weather.

I’ve always loved mineral makeup because it’s so easy to apply and doesn’t clog my pores like some liquid foundations.  But it never seemed to spread smoothly on my uneven, large-pored skin, and sometimes the powder seemed to just blow away.  Also, the matte finish made my skin look a bit unhealthy.  If you have experienced any of these issues, try my tips to get a great look every time with mineral foundation:

Okay, so reading the full ingredient lists on the back of products isn’t the most fun thing to do while standing in the drugstore aisle.  But sometimes what’s not in your skincare products is as important as what is in them.  Many items, including makeup, moisturizers, hair care, and even shaving products can contain parabens.

Parabens are the most widely used preservatives in cosmetics.  Companies use them to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination in their products.  The most common parabens are methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.

                               
Wrinkles - the eight-letter word we’ve grown to loathe.  We’ve surveyed thousands of women, and wrinkles are their number-one skin concern.  These first signs of aging are easy to spot.  Ever wonder how we get them?  We’ll let you in on some info about why we get wrinkles and what we can do to get rid of those suckers.

We’re always on the lookout for the best tricks to make our eyes look bigger.  Our new obsession is a method that involves using white eyeliner on the lower lid.  We found a wonderful YouTube channel that’s quickly gaining popularity, where Michelle Phan shows you how to create a bright-eyed look for day or dramatic anime eyes for a special night out.  Check out the steps below and the links to Michelle’s easy-to-follow demonstration videos.