the bronze lyrics

i love the skin cancer campaign, "pasty by choice." equally i think the phrase "pale is the new tan" isn't used nearly enough. as if born unto vampires, i myself sport that "porcelain" look. "by choice" is a strong statement; if i had my way i would be a dark, sultry goddess. more like, "pasty for my longevity." but i appreciate the banning together of the non-tanners who revel in their lack of pigmentation in order to prolong their lives and warn others of the dangers of the sunburn.

porcelain can indeed be beautiful; the only hitch is to be its most beautiful it should also be flawless. it is most definitely true that the darkness of the shadows hide the cold, hard truth. in other words, being tan helps to hide our imperfections. and you know what else? you can get away with wearing a wider variety of colors and not have people ask you "are you feeling okay today?" i know i'm not exactly making a pitch to stay out of the sun, but as a recovering tanorexic, i implore you to be diligent with the sunscreen. it is the key to slowing the aging process of the skin, after all. and i am here to testify that no amount of concealer is going to cover up wrinkles and those awful dark spots that arise from hyperpigmentation due to overexposure and sun damage. even if you choose the cosmetic surgery route to reverse this damage, your skin will never look and act the same as it once did. and you can forget about ever seeing the sun again after a hefty chemical peel or laser treatments.

so what to do? unless you've been residing in a cave, (and if so, you would never have to worry about sun exposure!) i'm sure you've heard of some new-fangled products called self-tanners and bronzers. today i'm going to focus on the bronzers. i love a good bronzer. it can instantly lift you out of the pale doldrums into a healthy glow. the best thing about a bronzer is that you're not stuck with it. you don't like it, wash your face. no commitment. it will stain your clothing though, so use a little bit of caution in that area.

as a big bobbi fan, it's no surprise that i use her all over bronzing gel every day of my life. i will choose a gel over a powder every single time! it really just doesn't get any easier. all you do is mix a little dollop in with your daily moisturizer. that's it! seriously, there is zero work or skill involved here. and what makes this better than your tinted moisturizer, (which are never as great as your souped-up versions of moisturizer) is control of color. you make the call. you decide which moisturizer you want to use, and how much bronzer you want. in addition to ease of use, it also doesn't get more natural than a gel. a lot of the gel bronzers have a little more red than most of your powdered bronzers. i find that this yields the most natural look. too many powders go oompa-loompa orange. and it doesn't help that a lot of women are getting their bronzers in shades that are far too dark for them. it ends up looking like dirt. and oily skin women beware: oil makes powder change color – usually darker. so what happens when that oil starts mixing with your powder bronzer during the day? tennessean dirt. some others i like a lot are: clinique's non-streak bronzer, (which is quite cost effective since they market this towards men) lancome's flash bronzer instant bronze glow, and clarins' radiance-plus self tanning cream gel or self-tanning instant gel. in the case of clarins' bronzers, you are committing to the color. but clarins makes superb tanning and sunscreen products . . . and they smell pretty decent in comparison.

if you are going to use a powder anyway, i really really like clinique's blended face powder in transparent bronze – for a few reasons, actually. first of all, at $19 it's a great bargain. this stuff will last forever! if you are already a loose powder user, you know how far it goes. so imagine mixing in a little of this stuff in with your regular stuff – we're talking about this lasting you for possibly a couple of years! i typically tap out a very small amount in the cap along with my regular powder. using this method per use ensures complete control of color. and besides the fact that it's a great deal, lasts a long time and is easily mixed with loose powder, it's also translucent, has a hint of iridescence and a tad more red. perfect for any skin tone. and if you still choose to wear a pressed powder, simply brush a little of this on top for a sun-kissed look.

my tip for this blog is applying a powder bronzer. you definitely want a brush that is made for this purpose. most are wide and blunt, some are a little fluffier and more rounded at the top. the fluffier brush will lay down a little less color, while a blunt, concentrated brush will lay down a lot more over a larger area. personally, i prefer a fluffier brush . . . always easier to add more than subtract. really think about where the sun naturally hits you: across the forehead, nose, cheeks and a little on the chin. i like to use the "figure 8" method as opposed to the "w" method, which leaves out the forehead. this means simply brushing a figure 8 on your face – skipping the underside of the nose and omitting the immediate eye and mouth areas. (i also go easy on the hollows of the cheeks.) and not that you necessarily need to cake your neck with bronzer, but just don't forget about it. softly brushing across the neck with the leftover powder on the brush should suffice.

in her prime

though i cannot say with certainty that i knew why you would put a primer down before painting, with the introduction of the foundation primer into the cosmetics world, it does make a little more sense now.

primers are a somewhat quiet presence with mixed reviews and opinions by artists and consumers alike. many consumers feel that it's an extra step, but the ones who have been properly instructed swear by the results. a lot of artists love the idea of a primer, but even i can be very skeptical.

first off, i feel that primer is for a select group of users – though there have been some primers launched as of late that cater to different types of skin. i really like a primer if you have not-so-invisible pores and/or fine lines. fine lines. not deep, ravine-like wrinkles. and not golf ball dimples for pores. in other words . . . it's only going to assist in minor defects. primer is, in essence, a silicon-based product that is going to help smooth out the surface of the skin, act as a barrier and give a little slip under your foundation. even if you don't wear a foundation, per se, it's a nice little, silky item of lingerie for your skin before powder . . . or nothing should you so choose. it does aid in filling in slight imperfections, but don't expect a full-on spackle job.

when women are shown the effects of a primer on the hand in store, they are usually amazed immediately. sure, your hand is full of moirés and textures, so the result is remarkable. but don't be sold hook, line and sinker; you really should try it on the face and wear it all day to be sure. ask for a one-time sample. one day is really all you need to know how it's going to work for you. on some women it tends to break down after a few hours and begins to collect in those fine lines and pores you are trying to fill in. conversely, if you are a drier skin type, a primer is not to be used in place of a good moisturizer.

the best primer out there right now is most definitely smashbox's photo finish. laura mercier is a close second, but smashbox wins just because they have expanded this concept to cater to several concerns. they now make a light, which is oil-free, one with an spf and dermaxyl, (an anti-aging ingredient) a bronzing primer and 3 color correcting primers. though i am dubious of their capabilities to do what they are intended, for the record the apricot colored primer is to even skin tone and counteract discoloration, the lavender is for brightening a dull complexion and the green-toned is used to reduce redness. i'll reiterate: take it home and wear it for a day to see for yourself. but beware of foundation that claims to be a "foundation and primer in one." let me ask . . . how many of you use a "shampoo and conditioner in one?"

my tip for this blog is in the application. less is more when it comes to primer. remember that it is silicon, and think about silicon products for your hair–you only need a tiny bit! better still, concentrate it only in those areas where it will do the most good. and i know i'm a big stickler about letting your moisturizer absorb a little before applying makeup, but this goes double prior to using a primer! if you go slathering a primer on top of freshly moisturized skin it's going to "roll" on you. in fact, you may discover that you need a little less moisturizer to get the job done when paired with a primer. save the "slathering" for bedtime.

back on the stain gang

having somehow always been cast in stage roles in which i am furiously making out with someone, it was always a personal quest to find a lip color as permanent as a sharpie. (cannot be done, by the way.) and yes, i have tried marker . . . just in case you were wondering. to be quite honest, the "magic marker" is not a far cry from the products i would like to discuss this week.

i'm talking about lip stains. or should i say lip "stains?" (insert air-quotes.) be weary of this term while being romanced by so many brands, promises and pretty, shiny packaging. first of all, a true stain should be in a liquid form. anything cream-based boasting the title of stain should be second-guessed. it's really just a dry lipstick, ladies. i'm not going to tell you that some of these products are not wonderful, because a lot of them are. but in the truest sense of the word stain, pass on these for now; these are not the stains you are looking for—move along, move along.

many years ago i fell in love with a little bottle of fruit-scented, blood-red potion by borghese. it was a lot like a bottle of nail polish for all intents and purposes, and you simply painted it on the lips. of course, the consistency was much thinner . . . closer to water. they no longer make this product, but there are some pretty good ones out there that are very similar and easier to use. surprisingly, my latest favorite is from cover girl! *gasp!* you read right; their outlast lipstain is fantastic! don't let the colors fool you into thinking what you see is what you get. when it comes to true lip stains, think back to the days when you drank gallons upon gallons of kool-aid in the summer. same thing. it's going to give to a wash of color. so you can take the color you see in the tube and dial it back considerably. it will only be a tint of that. some of the others worth mentioning are stila's lip and cheek stains, benefit's benetint, urban decay's lip envy, lorac's sheer wash, and if you're lucky enough to still find it, lancome's potion of love. most of these should be available through sephora – who also happens to have an entry called lush flush wine lip and cheek stain.

the very best thing about stains is that they truly do wear like they are supposed to; but as with everything, there is always a catch. don't expect your lip stain to provide hours worth of moisture and conditioning. ain't gonna happen. however, one of the very best benefits of the lip stain is a fabulous foundation for a lip gloss! as an avid adversary of the lip gloss, a lip stain underneath will be my one and only exception every time. like most women, i simply won't wear gloss because it's gone in a minute. i'm definitely not claiming that a lip stain will keep your gloss intact for hours on end, but i am here to tell you that under favorable conditions, it can come close. because at least when that gloss does start disappearing, that stain will still be around to keep you from looking washed-out and naked!

and what about moisture? since it's not coming from your lip stain, there are some measures that should be taken to ensure a positive lip staining experience. stains have a habit of collecting unfavorably in creases, on dried skin, etc. i hate to break it to you, but it is imperative that you start with soft, smooth lips. if you happen to use an exfoliating scrub, try using it on your lips a few times a week to get rid of flakes and dried skin. if you don't have any scrub, never fear – try using a generous amount of vasoline, or any lip balm of choice, and scrub gently in a circular motion with an old toothbrush. works just as well. so now that you've gotten all that dead skin out of the way, your lip balm/lip moisturizer/lip conditioner will work even better! but here's the caveat: you must allow your lip moisturizer to absorb before applying your stain. otherwise, it is not going to stain. since most women apply their lip color last, it's a good idea to moisturize those lips at the same time you're moisturizing everything else. by the time you get around to applying color you should be in good shape!

a stain can provide a great background for all of your favorite glosses and lipsticks too. it's fun to mix and match to come up with variations on your old stand-bys. and my very own personal tip for this blog is about how to keep your lip color fresh for as long as possible. while exfoliating the lips is a great start, just be mindful of your lip color. try and refrain from licking your lips, rubbing your lips together, or shoving large portions of food into your face. i know it seems like a no-brainer, but the biggest enemy of lipstick is rubbing the lips together. use a lip brush to apply your color; you'll get the perfect application without having to "distribute" the color by pressing the lips together. to finish, i wrap my lips around my finger and pull my finger away to remove the excess that can collect on the teeth! better than a tissue – no lint!

lay it on the line

as promised, this week i will be continuing the eyeliner discussion and delving a little deeper into types, colors, brands, etc.

so now that we've got the basics down, i hope, the next question is "what kind of liner is best?" sort of a trick question, really. the better question would be, "what kind of liner is best for me?" this will depend largely upon the effort you are willing to put forth. another factor to think about is your eyesight. are you a contact wearer? are you strictly a glasses wearer who can't see two inches in front of your face without them? for a lot of women, time is a huge issue. do you have exactly 5 minutes to get ready in the morning or are you taking some extra time in the mirror to get ready for a big night on the town?

as i mentioned last week, i love a shadow used as a liner. my favorites are mahogany, smoke and navy all by bobbi brown. these are dark brown, dark charcoal and of course, navy, respectively. bobbi also makes a mean liner brush. it's just stiff enough to lay down the perfect amount of product, but also equally perfect to wet and get that wonderfully thin liquid-line if you so desire. a few companies also make a "transformer," which is a type of liquid sealant that you can use to mix with your more soluble shadows to produce a water-resistant eyeliner. some come with their own applicators, but i always prefer to use my own brush that i am comfortable with. sephora, paula dorf, too faced and urban decay all make decent transformers, but smashbox had a great one called off set that i think has been discontinued. (look for it on ebay!) if you are going to go this route, make sure you are purchasing a more water-soluble shadow. mac, bobbi brown and smashbox make some fantastic colors to choose from! and the very best thing about shadow lining is that it need not be perfect. so if you don't have the steadiest hand, that's okay! it's best applied using a "stippling" method anyway – applying in small, short strokes. the look is usually more muted and softer, so a straight, bold line isn't the goal.

i know the allure of the word "waterproof" is strong for many women. i understand. i always envision joan crawford in full-face, dramatic, liquid-lined eyes and red lips, lying by the pool with a martini. in my mind, i'm only on-board with waterproof anything if that is what you are doing with your afternoons . . . lounging in the sun or sand by a large body of water. or if you're just a big crybaby. weddings maybe, but for everyday, i don't really get it. waterproof products, especially on the lashes, make for a more aggressive removal technique which can be a little harsh on that delicate eye area. if you are truly having problems with your eye makeup lasting through the day, try the shadow base i've discussed and look for "water-resistant" products. water-resistant means that it will hold up under similar conditions as waterproof, until you start furiously rubbing your eyes. (but please refrain from doing that.) most of your twist-up type crayon liners are water-resistant, and i will use them from time to time if i'm in a big hurry for some reason. they are fairly easy to use, but as i mentioned in my last blog, they have a habit of drying out before their time. for the money, clinique's quickliner is good and le stylo by lancome is decent as well. however, i find that after i apply them i end up going back over them with a liner brush to smooth the line . . . which reminds me that i should have just stuck with a shadow liner and skipped an extra step. some time saver.

in lieu of the crayon liners, i prefer the cream liner. there are some really great ones out there, and you get the same effect in one step. and these babies really do wear incredibly well. the look lies somewhere between the shadow liner and the liquid liner. you most definitely need a great brush to do this look right. it should be ultra-thin and tapered, but with a little stiffness for precision. if the tip of the brush is too long, it won't be stiff enough. bobbi's gel liners are popular, but smashbox has a great palette right now called proof that contains some unlikely colors that are fun to experiment with. as expected, mac also has an entry with fluidline that includes, what else, rich, jewel tones. since the look is bolder than a shadow liner, a cream liner will take more of a stable hand to apply.

and what about liquid? let me state for the record that i adore liquid liner, but it has its place. liquid liner is a very distinct look – usually bold and/or dramatic. done well, it is strikingly beautiful, but it is best applied with an artistic hand. this means for those of you whose eyesight is sub par, or whose hands would not be well-suited for surgery, stick with shadow lining. liquid liner has to be perfect. it requires the steadiest of hands and an inventive flare. not too thick, or you will end up in the "pit of despair," as i so fondly refer to it. besides, if you're not careful it will look horribly dated. using black is one of those qualities that will date the look; unless you are dark-skinned, try dark brown or charcoal instead. and while we're on the subject of color, i want to encourage everyone to try a color liner paired with their natural, everyday eye shadow. blues and navy are great to brighten the whites of the eyes or bring a beautiful contrast to brown eyes. purples and eggplant contrast wonderfully with green and hazel eyes, and blue eyes will pop with a metallic bronzy-tone. it will bring just enough color to the eye without having to go overboard on your lids with your eyeshadow. and before i forget -- who has the best liquid liner? lancome's artliner, artliner, artliner. nothing tops it.

just have fun with your liner. it's a great thing to experiment with without having to dive head-first out of your comfort zone. my tip for this blog is for cream liner: before it sets, apply your favorite high-shimmer or metallic shadow over it to amplify the look! mix and match your cream liners with different colored shadows for different results. it's great for a fun night out or for that dramatic, smoky eye! but just remember that a liquid or cream liner never looks natural applied to the bottom lash line! and don't forget to store your cream-based products upside down to keep the moisture level where it needs to be -- just don't let it get too hot or you will have quite a mess!

draggin' the line

in having a discussion with friends about my previous post, i was inspired to talk about liner this week. as i mentioned in my last blog, shadow base is also a helpful product to make your liner wear longer as well -- keep that in mind as you read on.

liner can make your eyes look instantly bigger, brighter and even more well-rested! conversely, it can make your eyes look like deep, dark pits of despair when under a heavy-hand. the best rule to live by: liner should always follow your lash line. always. (i will discuss the rare exceptions momentarily.)

liner, when done naturally, should enhance the line of the lash. who doesn't want fuller, thicker lashes, right? liner can help to achieve this. follow the line from the corner to the outer ends on the top. (i will discuss dealing with bottom lashes later.) this should be fairly self-explanatory without delving into types and colors, which i'll save for another blog.

i know i said to always follow the lash line, but like everything else, there are always exceptions to the rules. just because one or more of these may or may not apply to you, do not feel obligated to adhere . . . most are your garden variety "slide-of-hand" illusions.

1) if your eyes turn downward, whether due to genetics or aging, bring your liner outward and upwards slightly at the outer corners to give the impression of a little "lift."

2) if your eyes are close-set, as in the distance between your eyes is less than the width of one of your eyes, then concentrate your liner towards the outer corners. this gives the illusion of your eyes being further apart.

3) if your eyes are wide-set, as in the distance between your eyes is greater than the width of one of your eyes, then concentrate your liner towards the inner corners. this gives the illusion of your eyes being closer together. (gee, bet you figured that one out all by yourself after the last clue, huh?)

4) my personal tip, as this one applies to me, is for lining when one eye is larger than the other. yes, even you have one of those. everyone does. (whenever you have two of anything, one is larger!) feel free to go just a little heavier on the larger eye. thicker liner makes your eyes look smaller, so the whole point is to make 'em match.

in response to #4, yes, you read correctly. thicker liner = smaller eye. so for all you ladies clinging to your thick, black liner thinking that you are emphasizing your eyes, well you are, but not in a good way. this is the "pit of despair" look i mentioned earlier. stop it! i've said it before; unless you are photographed or walk a runway for a living, let it go. and don't outline that little inner corner of your eye like cleopatra. (remember what i said about following the lash line?) in fact, a theatre trick is to put a little light-reflector there. if you pay close attention to all the models in the print ads, it always looks like they've got a little white shimmer right there in those corners. this makes the eye look larger and more "open." (which is a good thing!) and when i say "concentrate your liner" in a certain area that does not mean stop or start it in the middle somewhere. it should be a gradual blending, just darker or heavier in one area over the other.

for a natural, easy, everyday look, you just can't beat an eye shadow for a liner. of course, i adore bobbi brown's darker shadows for this purpose, but nearly everyone out there makes a dark brown, black or even navy or eggplant shadow. it is best applied with a little bitty, sometimes slanted or angled brush designed precisely for that purpose. and if you've got a quality shadow, you may even feel compelled to wet your brush a little before dipping into the shadow for a more "liquid" liner look. the greatest attribute to shadow lining is the ease of blending and control you have over the application. and with that tiny brush you can really get down into that lash line! it will be so easy for you that you will throw away any pencil liner you've got in your bag of tricks! pencils are hard and they tend to drag along the lid. remember years ago when you would have to use a match or lighter to melt the tip of your pencil? (if you still do that, never admit it to anyone.) hey, if you need fire to apply your makeup nothing good can come of that. the crayon, or "twist-up" types are okay. they wear decently enough, but i find it more difficult to get a nice blend or control of the amount applied from them. and if i had a dime for every woman that complained that her automatic liner broke off or dried up, i would have around $83.60. (you get the picture.) and here's where i bring up lining under the eye . . . don't feel like you have to do it. as long as you're applying mascara to those bottom lashes, you should be golden. it's fine to sweep a little along the lashline for a natural look, heavier for an evening or smoky eye. but a lot of liner on the bottom only makes your eyes look smaller. if you have few or thin bottom lashes, then i would completely advocate "faking" that lash line when mascara just can't do the job.

next week i'll expound upon this topic and talk about actual products and colors; just wanted to lay down the basics first. my tip for this blog, since we're talking about lining, is for the fair and sparse-of-lash ladies. if you have skimpy or light-colored lashes, then you know how you have that "void" on the mucous membrane of the lid where your eyelashes grow. your mascara isn't going to do the job, but you can use a liquid liner or dip your liner brush into your shadow liner and actually go up from under the lashes and fill in that space. very carefully!!!! it will make your lash line lush!