Make-up trend: Think purple!

Pantone, the authority on all things colour, recently named a fuchsia-purple hue, officially known as 'Radiant Orchid' as 2014's Colour of the Year - especially for your make-up scheme.

So, let the shades of orchid, lilac and lavender rule your make-up palette this year. These shades can instantly brighten your face. The prettiest way to tackle the trend is by applying a wash of eyeshadow, which is both dressy and a bit adventurous. Or try a pop of colour along your lash line using a wet purple liner. And if you want those intense, piercing eyes, go for the purple smokey-eye look with nude lips. If you're passionate about purple, go full-on and sport deep purple on your lips and nails. 

The colour screams 'sexy' and if worn well, can make a woman look drop-dead gorgeous.

 Tip: 

Go easy on the amount of eyeshadow you're applying. A light, blurred effect is preferred over a dark, dramatic look.

10 Makeup Tips That Nobody Told You About PART 4 !

1. Business Card Trick

When applying mascara, hold a business card behind your lashes and apply it in a back and forth motion starting at the roots. You can really put it on this way, coating every lash fast!

2. Secret Eye Lift

Sweep a light pink matte pencil across the entire length of your brow bone to create the illusion of a higher arch, and then blend, blend, blend! It should not be detectable.

 

3. Proper Contouring

When applied right, contouring can define your cheekbones and jaw line, reduce the look of a double chin, minimize a larger nose, and lift sagging eyes. It’s basically using makeup to highlight and accentuate your features. This is especially important for photos, as the camera tends to pick up shadows and highlights better than the naked eye.

There are actual contouring and highlighting powders made just for this, but you can also use a bronzer or powder that is a few shades darker than your skin, and a foundation that is a few shades lighter for highlighting. For the most part, your t-zone and under eye area is where you want to highlight, and the outer portion of your face, underneath your cheekbones, and your neck is where you want to define with a darker color. Keep in mind, blending is key for a natural look! This may take some practice at first.

  

4. The Line Saver

I’m always checking my eye makeup in the case that my eyeliner isn’t in it’s original place. Certain eyeliners are more prone to this, especially those that aren’t water proof, but I don’t like using waterproof makeup because it’s so darn hard to get off! I always feel like I’m ripping my lashes off in the removal process. To keep your liner behaving, sweep loose or pressed powder right under the eye liner on your bottom lid. It creates somewhat of a barrier, preventing your eyeliner from traveling downward.

5. The Lip Cheat

As it turns out, we weren’t all blessed with Angelina Jolie’s lush lips. Now, there are a few tricks to making them appear larger (a glossy lip being one), but for a more dramatic effect, don’t be afraid to line your lips just outside of your natural line. When I say just outside of your natural line, I mean slightly. You don’t want to look like a clown by over doing it!

 

6. Downward Strokes

Although you want to wash your face and apply your moisturizer with upwards strokes to help lessen fine lines and a sagging face, the opposite is true for foundation and powder. Most of us have a little bit of hair on our face, and it tends to grow downwards. If you apply your makeup with upward strokes, it will cause your “peach fuzz” to stick strait up, making it more noticeable.

 

7. Eyebrows & Face Shape

A lot of us ignore our eyebrows (or have over plucked them into non-existence) not realizing how important they are in defining our face. There isn’t one shape that is the best, it really just depends on your unique facial features and shape. Just like contouring, your eyebrow shape and thickness can help soften your face shape.

 

8. DIY Tinted Moisturizer

This works just as well as a B&B cream, hiding imperfections with a really natural look; simply mix your favorite facial moisturizer with a little bit of concealer. This way you can customize it with just the right amount of coverage.

 

9. Instant Eye Lift

This quick and easy illusion will give you an instant eye life. Draw an arch directly above your eyebrow with your favorite highlighter, and blend with your finger. This makes your arch look raised, making the whole eye area look like it’s been lifted.

10. Wash & Save Your Wands

Instead of tossing them in the trash when your mascara expires, wash and repurpose those wands! You can use them as an eyebrow brush, even applying a bit of color before sweeping across your brows. Or, spray with hairspray and use them to brush and keep your eyebrows in place.

Make your lips look fuller

If you desire a gorgeous pout like Angelina Jolie, you needn't go through the ordeal of painful injections! Just follow these simple and pain-free make-up tips for bee-stung lips: 

1. Use a glossy lipstick:

 When you are applying your lipstick, choose one which has a shiny finish. The light will bounce off your lips, thus creating an illusion of fullness.

2. Avoid dark shades: 

Lipsticks in darker colours will dwarf your lips. One of the easiest ways to get fuller lips is by opting for nude or clear shades. These will also give your lips a natural look.

 

3. Exfoliate your lips:

When you use an exfoliator on your lips, you promote circulation, making them look plumper. You can use a small, soft toothbrush to brush lip balm or cinnamon on your lips Exfoliate in circular motion.

4. Create a shadow: 

Take a dark brown, waterproof eyeliner, and draw a very small line directly under your bottom lip. This will create the illusion of a shadow, which in turn will make your lips look bigger.

5. Lip plumpers: 

You can invest in a lip gloss with a lip plumper. This will sting, especially on the first application, but will give you a fuller, glossier pout. Go for one that is non-sticky and will keep the lips hydrated.

 

6. Apply concealer on the lips: 

This is a trick used by make-up artists on fashion models. Apply a thin layer of concealer with a brush on your lips, before you apply your lipstick. Make sure that the shade of the concealer is as light as your foundation.

4 Places You Shouldn’t Go On A First Date

First dates are usually nerve-racking. Unless you can fly her off to Paris or some other romantic location, chances are you are in for a very few jittery hours. You have to present your best side, you have to be funny, you have to be interesting and most of all, you have to impress. Here is a short list of places you should never go to on a first date.

1. To the Movies

Now we know this is a staple of the dating world. But when it comes to a first date, you should try as much as you can not to go to the movies. You may think that watching a movie will save you hours of endless awkward silence; which it will, but you will not get to know each other either. The reason you are both going on this date is so you can get to know each and see if there is a spark there. Not talking to each other, sort of negates the whole point of this exercise.

2. To Your Favorite Bar

This might sound like a good idea for a first date; you know the scene, it’s your home turf and everybody says hi or nods in your direction. This might give you a bit of a ‘popular guy’ vibe and it might even impress your date how cool and well known you are. The problem is, this is the same place your friends come to and it is the very same place where everyone knows you. You and your date may never get those precious one on one moments that can be the beginning of something special. Besides, she might get uncomfortable being around all your friends the first time out with you.

3. To The Club

You should never take your date to the club on a first date. It is too loud, too crowded; all the wrong elements that you want to avoid for a successful first date.

4. To Dinner

What was that? Did we just say not to take your first date out to dinner? Yes, we did. It’s romantic, reasonably quiet, there’s just the two of you at the table sitting across from each other and there’s food. Therein lies the problem. 

Sitting across each other in a fancy restaurant ordering foods you can barely pronounce may seem romantic and it appears to work in movies all the time, but it can be too intimidating in real life. If conversations get dry and no connection is established between the two of you, the rest of the night is going to get real awkward fast. Don’t forget you will be on the hook for an expensive bill too.