Concealer. When used properly, it’s a girl’s best friend.  The best part about concealer is that a little goes a long way. When it comes to the eye area, many women are looking for ways to either brighten them up or conceal any dark circles.

Picking the right shade of concealer can be a tad bit tricky. Going with a thicker consistency could actually darken up the under eye area. When using a shade that’s too light, it will give the “reverse raccoon effect.”

While many women choose to apply concealer using a concealer brush like the MAC 195 brush, many professionals would actually recommend using your ring finger to apply the product.

To begin, warm the concealer up in the palm of your hand. This will thin out the texture of the product, allowing for a much smoother coverage. To hide any parentheses around your pout, use a brightening concealer.

Then apply three dots of the product under the eyes and pat it in with your ring finger. Do not rub the product into the skin. The brightener will actually brighten up the area, which will then make those lines less noticeable.

Lastly, set the concealer using a powder. The powder will keep the concealer from creasing or smudging throughout the day.

Now women can get more for their buck by using their favorite concealer as a lid and lip primer. Just apply the concealer before adding the lip color to nude out the lips or to tone down highly pigmented lips. Using a brightening concealer will make the lipstick more vibrant. Set the lipstick with a powder to help the lip color last longer.

Below are some myths and facts about using concealer.

Myth: Foundation can also be used as a concealer.
Fact: For the under eye area, it should be a product that is specifically for the eye area because of sensitivity around that area. Not every foundation is safe around the eyes. Not to mention that the foundation most likely won’t cover the under eye circles completely.

Myth: Concealer can be used to cover both the under eye circles and blemishes.
Fact: Women should own two shades of concealer, with each shade covering up on of the issues. Women with acne, pimples or any other breakouts will want to use a yellow-based concealer to cover up the redness in blemishes. For a fuller coverage, a cream-based concealer is going to work best.

With under eye circles, they have an undertone that’s blue or grey so it’s best to choose a concealer shade that’s pink or salmon-based. This will get rid of any blue areas on the face. Just be sure that the product is only placed on the dark circles, otherwise the face could look a little orange.

Mascara. It’s a woman’s best friend and something she can’t leave home without. One of the biggest beauty questions asked is how they can find the perfect mascara. It’s such an important makeup product, which is why people search around and spend a lot of money for the perfect mascara.

Your first decision is whether you want waterproof or regular mascara. Non-waterproof tends to be the more popular option because it dries faster and easier to remove, which means a lot less eye rubbing. With waterproof you’ll have to rub the eye a bit more, which could lead to saggy skin.

It’s important to take into consideration what you’re doing that day. Are you a swimmer who spends countless hours in the pool? If so, you’ll want waterproof mascara. If you’re in the office all day then non-waterproof mascara will get the job done perfectly.

It’s good to choose the mascara color based off your hair color. For example, all you gorgeous brunettes should opt for black mascara to help make your eyes pop more. If you are a fair-haired, brown mascara will look more natural.

Think about the type of brush you prefer when shopping around for new mascara. A straight brush is perfect for getting those hard-to-reach areas. Want to get all your lashes at once? A curved mascara brush is your best option.

You’re not going to get flawless lashes using just one coat of mascara. Two or three coats should do the trick! First is the lengthening mascara. Once the mascara has dried go ahead and apply the volumizing mascara. They don’t have to be from the same brand. But adding these two types together is going to give you a dramatic look, while still looking soft and beautiful.

Finding mascara doesn’t have to get frustrating. It’s all about finding a product that’s going to work best for you. Think about your day-to-day activities and what you want in a mascara. Once you know this information you’ll find your perfect mascara in no time.

Good luck ladies!

If you’re like myself, you constantly have to return your makeup because you have an allergic reaction to the product or your skin is breaking out because it’s too sensitive. Thankfully more cosmetic companies are coming out with lines for people with sensitive or allergy prone skin.

They might cost you a little bit more, but believe me your skin will thank you later.

Use powders. Powder foundations and blushes don’t have a lot of ingredients that other makeup products do, which is what’s causing your skin to get irritated. Even though the powders are better for you, don’t use a lot of them. It’s better to blend in the blush as opposed to just brushing them on.

Get rid of any old cosmetics. Most of the time, sensitive skin and allergy issues have developed in the last few years. Even though you were able to wear something two to three years ago, doesn’t always mean you can wear it now.  Like food, beauty products will spoil. This is important to remember, because you’re applying makeup to your eyes.

Your cosmetic has a lifespan: foundations last about a year; lipstick lasts one year as well; toss out your mascara after four months and your powders and blushes can last up to two years.

Keep your brushes nice and clean. One mistake many people make is not cleaning your brushes as often… or at all. You need to make sure you clean them on a regular basis, the dirt and germs that are on the brush can cause your skin to get irritated.

Find earth-tone eye shadows. Use eye shadows that are earth-toned. Colors like cream, beige or tan cause less eye irritation. More natural colors will look great on anyone no matter what your skin tone is. Black eye liner and mascara products are the least allergenic of all the other colors.

Use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Many dermatologists informed me that I should use products that have an SPF of 15 or higher. Check the amount of ingredients, while it’s impossible to have allergies to sunscreen since the purpose of it is to deflect the rays as opposed to absorbing them, the fewer the ingredients the less likely the sunscreen will give you problems. A lot of make up brands are now making foundations that have an SPF of 15 or higher. Remember to check the labels before purchasing to make sure it has an SPF on them.