Ways To Lighten Your Makeup Bag When Traveling.

 

This summer, more people are out traveling and many flights are totally full.  There is little overhead space available by the time the last people board and if you are going off to somewhere new or unique, you might want to use makeup that can be used in more than one way because you want to keep the weight down and leave space for all the things you buy on the trip.

One way to cut down on the number of things you take is to find items that will do double duty.  As for cleaning your face, find a foaming oil so you don't need to take both the oil and the foaming cleaner.  If you aren't into cleaning your face with oil and a foaming cleanser, look for a wipe that will both clean and exfoliate your face.  These wipes or towelettes are great for cleaning and exfoliating and some will also brighten your skin at the same time so read packs carefully.

Instead of adding a blush, bronzer, and highlighter to your makeup bag, find a palette that combines all three into one container so you have everything you need to contour and highlight at the same time. There are also small boxes with powders designed to fill in your brows and wax to make eye brows perfect.  In addition, look for a stick that has both eye liner and shadow.  A good one will allow you to make either thin or thick lines along the lashes while the shadow end will easily apply shadow without needing a brush.  

If you can't find one of those, eyeliner pencils can be used to create the line and then applied on the eyelid and smudged to get an eyeshadow look but a creamier eyeliner is better for this.  Pack a few different shades to mix and match liners and shadows.  To fully finish off the look, get your hands on a two step mascara that has primer on one side and mascara on the other side. 

 It is also possible to use a nice creme blush both on your cheeks and to add a bit of color to your lips. Furthermore, there are lip liners out there that will allow you to line the lip while filling it in so it looks like you are wearing lipstick. Want your nails to match your lips?  Go for the strips of nail polish stickers so all you have to do is apply them.  The stickers can be used for the full nail or just the tips for a French manicure style. You don't need to take bottles which can break or spill. In addition, they are extremely light and don't take up much weight or space.

Check out a BB cream because it can replace your foundation, sunscreen, and a moisturizer inside your makeup bag.  Using a BB cream means one tube or bottle instead of three so fewer bottles means less weight.  I am picky about my sunscreen and prefer to take a small bottle of my preferred brand but I like a nice tinted moisturizer so I get the hydrating power of moisturizer with a bit of color.

Although you can use certain types of makeup in other ways it is not always the best suggestion.  Makeup such as lip liner can be used to fill in the eyebrow while concealer can be used as an eyeshadow primer or to contour.  Eyeshadow can be used on the lips or as a highlighter.  Lipstick can double up as blush, to correct color, and if it is in liquid form, it can double as eyeliner.

I prefer the products meant to be used as intended but I also need to know where to find all of the alternatives so I can reduce the number of things I carry with me when I travel.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.

Matching Your Makeup To Your Outfit

 

Today you decided to wear a bright pink outfit with a black shirt but when you go to do your makeup, you suddenly realize you aren't sure what color or colors you should use on your eyelids.  You've decided you want to coordinate your makeup with your outfit so how do you go about it?  There are four rules you can follow so your makeup goes well with your outfit.

The first rule is to stick to one color palette when you decide to match your makeup to your outfit but you need to be careful as you try to coordinate your makeup with a bold outfit.  If you use a bold color on your face while wearing a bold shade, it could prove disastrous. When wearing a bold outfit, try a light hand for lipstick and mascara with a complementing shade of eye shadow.   Try to play down facial features when wearing a bold outfit.  If you wear outfits in the more neutral colors, you can wear bolder makeup.

The second rule is to distribute colors throughout the whole outfit.  Rather than trying to match your lipstick to your dress, try matching your lipstick to your accessories such as your shoes or your purse since your accessories are generally in a coordinated color.  The final result looks more polished when you match a small area of the outfit rather than the majority of it. If all else fails select a complementary color to go with the dress and accessories.

Third, do not go overboard trying to match everything because it is so easy to go overboard.  It's fine to match certain colors but try not to do a whole outfit and makeup in two colors.  Rather than going with your enthusiasm, take time to plan the outfit and the makeup you wear with it.  If you decide to wear bold eye makeup, pair it with a more neutral outfit but if you have bold clothing, remember to match your makeup to your accessories to keep from going overboard.

Finally know your makeup.  Remember that lipstick always makes a statement. If you wear bold colors, choose a pink or neutral lipstick but if you wear jeans and a shirt, you can choose a berry, red, or even orange to draw attention. In addition, keep in mind the various finishes so you end up with both the right color and finish to make the right statement.  

Next, never match your eyeshadow to your outfit however, you can choose a shade that goes well with the outfit.  If you wear a bold outfit, look at a gold, soft pink, or beige eyeshadow however you can choose a brighter eyeshadow as long as its a complementary color.  On the other hand, if you decide to wear something more low key with shade of grey or black, think about going with a smokey eye. 

Blush follows similar rules to eyeshadow in that blush should not match the outfit.  It is important to know which shades of blush go well with your complexion rather than trying to match your outfit.  So you know have tips to match your makeup when you wear a bold outfit.  On Wednesday, I'll be discussing working out in extremely hot weather because a part of the country is undergoing heatwaves where records are being broken.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.