Fall Trends: Hot Pink Lips

I have never really been one to wear color on my lips. As my sister loves to point out, I have pretty thin lips that I don't like to draw a whole lot of attention to with bold color, so I tend to stick to nude or very pale pink tones when it comes to my lips. However, I do like to keep up with the trends and one that I'm really liking for the fall (picked up from people.com) is pink lips. But not baby pink, no no...hot, fuscia pink, which is a beautiful color on so many skin tones. If you're on the younger spectrum of your teenage years (say 12-14ish), I would stick to lip glosses just because an actual lip stick can look sort of heavy on young skin, and there are plenty of glosses out there that offer lots of shine and color. One thing to note here is that if you're going for bold lips, keep the rest of your look very light. Like how Charlize on the left here has totally played down her eyes so that there isn't a competition going on between her lips and her peepers. Hayden, in typical teenage fashion, has upped the liner around her eyes, but has otherwise kept the boldness of her look confined to her lips. I would definitely advise against using colored shadow if you're going to rock this look. That is just clown face waiting to happen. And most people I know are terrified of clowns, so we want to steer clear of that.

What IS Mineral Makeup, Anyway??

Mineral makeup is everywhere. People rave about its super powers, how pure it is, how great it is for your skin, how it could cure cancer (ok, I made that one up)...but is it really better for your skin, or is it all just one big marketing ploy? Nowadays we assume that because something says "natural" or "pure" on the label, it's better for us, but that's not necessarily true. The same thing applies to something labeled "organic." Pick up some products that say natural or organic and read the ingredients list - as long as an ingredient is derived from something that is "natural" (as in, a plant is put through a chemical process to get a certain ingredient out of it), that product can label itself as such. Just be careful about what you're putting on your skin, and into your body. It never hurts to read labels. But back to the mineral makeup, I did some research and found a great article at a reliable source - Web MD - that you can read here. But if you're not into reading a 3 page article, here's the low down. Mineral makeup contains the same basic ingredients that most makeup is made from (insert names of mineral sounding materials that are apparently ground up minerals that do exist in nature!). What mineral makeup does NOT contain is preservatives (which means the makeup can sit on shelves for longer), binders (chemicals that hold the makeup together and also help it bind to your skin) and fragrances (which can irritate sensitive skin) - so, in a way, it could be considered more "pure" than other types of makeup. By removing some of those things like synthetic dyes and fragrances that cause sensitivity in some people, mineral makeup could prove better for you if you have very irritable skin. So, it really all comes down to what works best on your skin. Just don't be fooled into thinking you are putting nothing but Mother Nature on your skin just because the label says "natural."

HOWEVER!!!

Fall does not mean that you are off the hook in terms of protecting your skin (especially your face!) from the sun. Fall and winter are especially dangerous because people think their skin can't burn. Well, people are WRONG! Glory for Girls makes an all the time sunscreen that goes on without feeling heavy or oily, it smells delicious, and it's all natural. It's available in SPF 17 and SPF 30, so I implore you, please do not stop wearing sunscreen just because it's not hot anymore. The heat may be gone, but the sun is not. And what is it that does the damage to our skin? THE SUN. So. Don't forget to apply sunscreen or a moisturizer with at least SPF 15 EVERYDAY, underneath your makeup. You will thank me when you do not shrivel up like a raisin later on in life. ;)

Things to Love About Fall

I don't know if you are anything like me, but i LOVE summer. I mean I heart summer big time. Lindsey + Summer 4EVA. I would probably marry summer if it were actually possible. I love the heat, I love the long days, I even love the humidity. But alas, summer is yet again leaving me, just like it does every year at this time. I am learning to embrace fall, and I certainly am a bigger fan of fall than winter, but let's be honest, nothing compares to summer. With fall, though, comes lower humidity, which is good for everyone's hair, plus makeup doesn't slide off your face the second you apply it because it's no longer 97 degrees outside. What I really like about fall is the change in color palattes you see...the browns, the golds, coppers, deep purples - all colors that a brown haired, brown eyed girl like me LOVES. This is not to say that your tropical neon pink lady palattes will never see the light of day again...but now is a good time to pack them away (or toss them if they need tossing) and bring out colors that are more earthy. As far as color, you can still wear it, but instead of baby blue, try navy. Eggplant purple is great for this time of year, as is a deep hunter or olive green. I got some samples from Milani over the summer that were awesome for that time of year, and that I really loved - so I indulged myself (and when I say indulge, I mean I spent like $5.99) in a beautiful color called Coffee Shop, from the Runway Eyes collection. It's a shimmery copper color and it's stunning. Copper is one of those colors that looks great on most skin tones and with pretty much any eye color. Also keep in mind you may need to think about a heavier foundation (but only if you need it), and consider that you may be losing your summer tan (GASP!!!) so powders and bronzers may need to go down to the next lightest shade. Another thing to adore about fall? Bringing out your fall wardrobe. Every year without fail when I switch out my spring/summer stuff for my fall and winter clothes, I find stuff I TOTALLY forgot that I had, so keep that in mind before you go blow your summer savings on a totally new wardrobe. And finally...fall means that the stores unleash that golden gift from heaven upon us all...CANDY CORN. If that doesn't deserve a season of its own, I really don't know what does!!!

What's Wrong With This Picture??

Ok, there are so many bad ideas going on here, I really don't know where to start. First bad idea is hanging out with Lindsay Lohan. That girl is a good influence on NO ONE. Second bad idea is Taylor Momsen yet again looking like a homeless vampire. These are people we should look up to? I think not. Lighten up, ladies...you're young and rich!! Stop acting (and dressing) like you are 35 and making minimum wage!

Taylor, look into eye makeup remover. Lindsay...look into your natural hair color. Please and thank you.

Goodbye to Summer

Ok, so I've been a bit busy enjoying the end of my summer and have totally slacked on my beauty blogging. What can I say, I'm not ready to say goodbye to summer yet. I promise to be more on top of the blog in the upcoming weeks - including posting video tutorials and more posts on celebrity looks and great new products. But while summer is still lingering, one thing to keep in mind is that with the change in weather will also come a change in the way your skin responds to products. Moisturizers that work great in the summer may not be enough once the fall and winter start their relentless attempts to suck all moisture out of your poor defenseless skin. You may need to think about stepping up your routine or finding a heavier foundation, since you won't immediately sweat it off as soon as you walk out the door. I'll get into all this more as the season progresses, it's just something to think about for now. For most of us, you'll wear a different foundation for fall and winter than for spring and summer, and your skin may need more than just a light moisturizer. Again, getting to know your skin type will help you figure all this out once you actually do have to start pulling out all your fall sweaters. So, enjoy your light summer foundation while it's still warm out, and prepare your wallets for a fall makeup spree!!