How to Pick the Right Shade of Concealer

Choosing the right shade of concealer can be daunting. Do you go lighter or darker? What about those undereye circles or rosacea on the cheeks. Here, we show you how to pick the right shades of concealer for your skin tone.
When choosing a concealer, you should consider both consistency and color. If you are covering major undereye circles, you're going to want a concealer that provides major coverage. The editors of Allure's "Confessions of a Beauty Editor" suggest testing consistency by dabbing concealer on the blue veins on the inside of your wrist.



Yellow-toned products are your best bet for covering up undereye circles, according to makeup artist Bobbie Brown. Orange-based tones blend best into dark or black skin. You want a shade or two lighter than your foundation (remember, your foundation should match your skin almost exactly). In the March, 2007 issue of InStyle Magazine, Brown suggests avoiding "greasy or chalky formulas that are too pink or white."
Test color on the area of your neck below your ear. Again, the color should be a slight lighter than your foundation. If you go too light, you risk looking like a raccoon. Just like you will foundation, you may need a lighter concealer shade in winter than you would in summer.
Concealer is a definite "try before you buy" product. I don't recommend purchasing any product that's non-returnable. Instead, try out different concealers at department store counters or Sephora.

How to Get Rid of Scaly Lips

If you suffer from scaly lips, a simple do-it-yourself trick to exfoliate them takes only a finger scoop of Vaseline and a toothbrush.

Step 1: Slather lips with petroleum jelly 
Step 2: Use a toothbrush to massage in the jelly in a circular motion. 
Step 3: Wipe off the excess petroleum jelly.
The toothbrush exfoliates lips while the petroleum jelly leaves lips extra soft. Repeat a couple times a day until your lips are no longer scaly.
Want a more professional exfoliant that's perfect for the purse? Try The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ, a sugar scrub created just for the lips. The results are similar to my Vaseline and toothbrush trick, but it frankly tastes so great (I love the peppermint flavor) and leaves lips so soft and supple I think Sara should add a "Warning: May be Addictive" message on her label. Makes a great gift for any discerning friend.

How to Keep Nail Polish in Place

Ever spend an hour doing your nails only to smudge a nail within minutes of finishing up the last coat? Here's six tips to avoid those smudges on your next manicure...

Tip #1: Make sure nails are super clean Natural oils on your nails aid in chipping. Even if your nails are polish-free, apply polish remover to get rid of oils on the surface of nails.

Tip #2: Prep nails with a base coat Polish will adhere best to nails prepped with a base coat like Opi Nail Treatment Start to Finish. Here's a list of great base polishes at every price:

Tip #3: Don't lay on the polish too thick Three to four thin coats of polish rather than 2 thick coats will last longer, cut down on drying time and cause fewer changes of bubbles brewing on your nails.

Tip #4: Don't forget the tip When polishing, polish the tip of the nail as well. This helps cut down on nail polish chipping.

Tip #5: Consider a shimmery color. The little particles of sparkle will help polish cling to your nails.

Tip #6: Apply a clear topcoat Topcoat helps extend the life of your manicure. You can use the base coat as a topcoat. Do brush topcoat on and around the edges of nails as well, it's an extra seal against chipping.

Tip #7: Allow proper drying time Make sure you give your nails a good 45 minutes drying time before handling objects. Once dry time is over, submerge nails in cold water then apply lotion. This allows for a slippery surface until nails are completely dry. For pedicures, wrap toes in plastic wrap if you're wearing shoes other than flip-flops or sandals.

Tip #8: Keep topcoat handy To prolong the life of your manicure, apply a topcoat every other day.

8 Secrets to Making Your Manicure Last Longer

A great manicure and pedicure can really set your mind right for the week. Personally, I get my fingers and toes done professionally because I live in NYC and it's utterly convenient -- and cheap. But there are times when your budget and your proximity to a good salon may be limited. In this case, it's great to have a handle on these 8 secrets to perfectly polished nails.

Moisturize your cuticles

Dry, peeling cuticles can be both ugly and painful, especially when they turn into hangnails. Keep cuticles moisturized, especially in dry, winter months, with a good cuticle cream or oil. (See my list of thebest cuticle oils and creams). Once cuticles are softened, you can use an orangewood stick covered in cotton to push back the cuticles.

Don't have cuticle oil on hand? Use a rich hand cream or even lip balm.

Choose the shortest nail to cut by

Not sure how short to clip nails? Choose the shortest nail as your guide. Once you've clipped, line each finger up with its opposite, cuticle-to-cuticle, to ensure you cut short enough.

Prep nails by filing

After you clip nails, file them into an oval shape mimicking the curve of your nail base. Some women prefer square nails. My hands happen to look better with oval nails, but other women swear their look better with squared nails. It's really your preference.

Remove oils from the nail before polishing

It's important to wipe nails with a nail polish remover before applying polish even if you don't have nail polish to remove. Oils left on the nail (like the hand cream or lip balm) will keep polish from sticking.

Wrap the tips of your nails with polish

When applying polish, be sure to bring it over the front edge of the nail and slightly under the tip. This helps prevent chipping.

When polishing, 2 thin coats are better than one thick coat. You'll find it dries faster. If the polish chips, it's best to remove the paint from the nail and start over. If you don't have time, dip your finger in nail polish remover and smooth over the chipped area and re-apply a topcoat.

How to maintain fresh polish

Keep your mani/pedi looking fresh by adding a new layer of topcoat every other day. A proper manicure should last 1 to 2 weeks. A pedicure should last 2 to 4.

How to deal with smudges and stains

Smudged your polish while painting? Try this trick: dip your finger in nail polish remover and use it to smooth the surface, repainting with a topcoat.

The secret to keeping nails from smudging is proper drying time. Surfaces will feel dry to the touch after 10 minutes, but don't be fooled. It actually takes an entire hour for nails to completely dry.

Fingers stained from nicotine, berries or too dark polish can be fixed with whitening toothpaste like Rembrandt. Then brush the skin or nails with a toothbrush.

How to deal with a broken or torn nail

When a nail breaks, the best thing to do is to cut it off. But here's a trick if the break is low down (and painful, undoubtedly): cut a tiny strip of gauze from a teabag, place it over the tear and the paint over with polish.

For 30 more mani/pedi tips, including the most flattering nail shape, how to speed up the drying process and why you should never shake a nail polish bottle, check out How to Give Yourself a Manicure.

Older Women Makeup Tips

The last time I posted makeup tips for older women on my blog, women wrote in begging me for "more, more, more." So ladies, here you go.

Avoid tweezing gray brow hairs. Instead, conceal them with a brow powder or pencil.

Thinning Lips

Personally, I love a thin lip. I read somewhere once that it's a sign of intelligence. As we age, our lips lose some of their fat. Here's how to plump up thin lips.

Picking the right lip color is a must. Makeup artist Bobbi Brown suggests skipping the bright colors and opt for a color that's just a shade or 2 darker than your natural lip color. Check out 16 Lipstick Tricks and Tips.

As you age, your natural lip line fades. Create a lip line by coloring in lips first with a lip liner, then apply gloss or lipstick over the liner.

Consider getting rid of lipstick and using lip gloss instead. Gloss creates the illusion of puffed-up lips, especially when applied to the middle of lips.

Lip plumpers do work, but the effects don't last long (we're talking under an hour). So skip the plumpers and save your money. Even Vaseline on lips will make them appear larger.

Ack! What to Do About Sprouting Chin Hairs

For the record, I know 30-year-olds with chin hair problems. You can tweeze them or have your stylist tweeze them, but they will always grow back. The only way to keep chin hairs at bay permanently is electrolysis.

How to Get Rid of Your Moustache

You have 2 options for moustaches: Wax them off with a home waxing kit you can buy in any drugstore or have a professional do it. See How to Get Rid of Hair on Your Face.

To lighten dark moustaches, try kit made just for this which you can find in your beauty aisle at the drugstore.

5 Bad Fingernail Trends: Are You Guilty of These (I Am)

The condition of our nails speaks volumes about us. While you or I may pay scant attention to our nails, others will. Think of the nasty nails you've seen on display in open-toed shoes and you know what I mean. Showing off out-of-style nail trends also says a lot about us -- mostly that we don't subscribe to fashion magazines. When was the last time you saw a model with a French manicure or nail art?

Fingernails Faux Pas #1: Fake Fingernails

Why in Heaven's Name would anyone make it a beauty routine to get fake jobbers glued to their real nails? They click on everything and make it virtually impossible to pick things up, pull on tight blue jeans and just about anything else one needs fingers for.
My cousin Cat removed hers when she had a baby and she was so excited she could finally pick up her keys. When I told her long, fake nails were "really wrong," she sternly warned me not to say that so loud in either Long Island (where she lives now) or New Jersey (where she grew up).
The only non-tacky length for nails these days is short and rounded. Long nails, simply put, are out.
Fingernails Faux Pas #2: Nail Art

I sincerely hope no one orders a hit on me for saying this, but nail art is tacky. A painted flower on one big toe is cute because it's dainty and unexpected, but ten fingers decorated in swiggles, lightening bolts or glued-on cubic zirconias are wrong.
That said, if you love nail art (in some parts of the country, such style is incredibly sought after), check out these images of nail art. There are loads of ideas for nails.
Fingernails Faux Pas #3: French Manicures

People think French manicures are a classic style but I agree with the editors of a major beauty magazine (the name of which I can no longer remember) who stated quite firmly that French manis are declasse.
Even tackier than French manicures? French pedicures. Find out what happened when I said that on a blog in May, 2006. More than 250 people wrote in the comments section either agreeing or vehemently disagreeing with me.
Fingernails Faux Pas #4: Fingernails of Varying Lengths

This is a major fingernail faux pas of which I am constantly guilty. It is a big no-no to leave one's house with unkept nails of varying lengths (I will never forget the day my friend Deirdre took one glance at my hands and said, "That's just wrong.").
At any given time, one of my nails will be legions longer than the other nails, no two of which are the same length. This is because I have nails of varying strengths. If I let them grow, only the nails on my pinkie and ring fingers would make it to Guinness Book of World Record length. My thumbs? Not a chance. They are always the first to break.
Long nails in general are not popular right now. Even if you have fingernails that are strong as horse hooves, you should aim for a short, rounded nail.
Fingernails Faux Pas #5: Unkept Nails

Chipped nail polish isn't cool. If you are like me and are too lazy for proper upkeep, skip the color and try a clear polish.
Also falling under "unkept": Chewed nails. To stop biting your nails, invest in a manicure. You'll think twice before gnawing on your $20 investment. Plus, nail polish doesn't taste good.
So what type of nails are in? Short, rounded nails. Squares were popular for awhile and are ok, but rounded is really the way to go. Paint nails a bright, dark, opaque (my fave) or clear. Bare nails are also OK if you are too busy for manicures or inately lazy like me.

30 Manicure Tips

People notice your manicure. It's a fact of life I try to remember at all times because if I'm not careful I'll end up with fingernails at 5 different lengths and a hangnail or two. Here, I share 30 of my most favorite manicure (and pedicure) tips. Enjoy!

How to Give Yourself a Mani and Pedi

Why spend money on a new manicure every few weeks when you can do it yourself. Below I give you all my favorite tips and tricks for getting the perfect at-home manicure.
For step-by-step instructions on how to give yourself a manicure, click here. Also check out How to Give Yourself a Pedicure.
The most flattering nail shape is not long or short or square, it's "squoval" -- not quite square and not quite oval. Get the look yourself by filing nails into a shape that mirrors the curve of your nail base. Square tips can make fingers look chubby, according to nail guru Deborah Lippmann in InStyle Magazine.
To ensure your nails are the same length after filing, line each nail up with its counterpart.
Don't shake the nail polish bottle, instead roll it between your palms. This mixes the polish without causing air bubbles.
Before polishing clean nails, soak a cotton ball in nail polish remover and swipe across nails. This will remove any excess oils or soap than can cause peeling once polish is applied.
One trick for applying nail polish: Hold the brush between the thumb and middle finger while resting your forefinger on the top of the cap.
To get the best results, apply thin layers. Start with a thin layer of basecoat, then apply a thin layer of polish down the middle then one on the left and one on the right. After the first coat dries for a couple minutes, repeat, then follow with a thin layer of topcoat.
Once your pedicure or manicure is complete, run an orangewood stick dipped in nail polish remover along either side of nail to fix any mistakes.
Speed up the drying process by aiming a blow-dryer at toes (set on cool) for a minute at a time. Be sure to keep the dryer at least 12 inches from your feet.
Gotta leave the house before your pedicure is dry? Apply cuticle oil over the polish. This will keep anything from sticking to your polish. See my list of the best cuticle creams.
Stained nails? Remove the yellow easily by following the directions in How to Get Rid of Nail Stains.
For an extra spa feeling to your home pedicure, nuke a damp towel in the microwave for a couple minutes, slather feet in moisturizer and wrap them in the warm towel.