Polish your appearance points: All it takes is a dollop of glitter-enriched makeup or fingernail polish to align your look with the stars up above.
When it comes to competition Star Wars…
Let the G-Forces
Be With You
By Ernie McCraw
Are you ready to take your success into the stratosphere? Then climb aboard, because we’re talking glistening, glowing, glossy, glimmery, glamorous, and gorgeous… from the face to the fingernails. For a proper “good health” take-off, we inject a little high-tech ingredient that can kick-start your progress. Then we advance to work on adding sparkle to your eyes, cheeks, lips, and nails. Along the way, we share what’s hot, and what’s not. So what are you waiting for? Our launch is ready. Let’s get glowing!
EYES
It’s easy to glam up your eyes with a dash of glow. For just a bit of shimmer, opt for a pearly base shadow. Palladio Herbal Eyeshadow in Champagne across the entire upper lid will provide a subtle sheen to your normal eye makeup. To take it a step further change from your normal matte eyeshadow to something metallic in a similar shade, or boldly define your eyes with Palladio Liquid Eyeliner in Bronze or Beautique Eye Crayon in Lilac Shimmer.
HOT
Brighten the inside corner of your eye with a pearly eyeliner such as Beautique Eye Crayon in Pearl or Real Color Shimmer Powder in Diamond or Opal
NOT
Don’t over-do the white or extremely light metallic shades. You can have too much of a good thing, and these shades can look cakey and too washed out if overdone.
CHEEKS
You can create a fresh look with just a hint of bronze across your cheeks. Shimmery bronzing powders have fast become a girl’s best friend. With a quick brush across the cheek you can whisk away winter and give yourself a golden summer glow. Savvy Get Bronzed Bronzing Powders in Island Bronze, Golden Bronze and Deep Bronze deliver a warm sun-kissed finish with rich amber and golden tones.
HOT
Roll-on and blend Savvy Illusions Shimmer Powder over cheeks and body to create a luminous shimmer.
NOT
It is best to leave the chunky, wildly colored glitter gels for an extreme evening of clubbing or Halloween.
NAILS
Give yourself a manicure with metallic shades and some fun self-stick gems. FingerPaints nail enamel in Well-cultured Pearl will give you just a glimmer of shimmer. Or go all out with Art Her-story and Cina Self-Stick Gems in a variety of shapes and colors.
HOT
Switch out your normal French manicure colors for some with a bit of color, shimmer or glitter.
NOT
Make sure that if you are going to draw attention to your nails that you have taken the time to care for your cuticles as well. There is nothing worse than raggedy cuticles to to go along with your fun fingernails.
The G-Whiz Factor: EFAs
First and foremost, a gorgeous glow begins from within. Health is key. Daily exercise and a balanced diet not only gives you energy and keeps you fit, they also have a number of beauty benefits. Some common beauty problems can be curbed through a simple dietary adjustment.
Dry skin is often a sign that you are not getting enough essential fatty acids (EFAs) or good fats. These EFAs are found in most nuts, avocados, some dark leafy green vegetables, canola oil, soybean oil, wheat germ oil, and certain types of fish. Cells incorporate EFAs into their membranes, helping to maintain cell structure and function. Healthy cell membranes prevent moisture loss from the skin, help nutrients enter the cell, and prevent toxins from penetrating the cell. Healthy cells are the foundation for beautiful skin.
The itching and scalp inflammation associated with dandruff may be helped by EFAs as well. More importantly, EFAs may go directly to the cause of dandruff — they may slow down the rate at which old scalp cells fall away and are replaced by new ones, thus controlling the flaking that characterizes dandruff.
LIPS
Who can resist glossy, luscious lips? There is a rainbow of colors for every complexion and everything from sheer glosses to gorgeous bold shades. You can be subtle with sweeter shades like Savvy Super Juicies Sheers or Palladio Herbal Lip Gloss in Dreamy. You can do both rich color and shine with Palladio Herbal Lip Gloss in Sheer Bronze, Passion Pink or simply line with Beautique Lip Crayon in Pearl Orchid. If precious metal is your style, Savvy Crystals Lip Gloss Sheers in Crystal Champagne give lips a little touch of gold.
HOT
Minimal makeup paired with a sheer pink gloss can give your natural radiance a bit of a boost.
NOT
Too much lip gloss can easily get out of control and become sloppy looking.
Ernie McCraw is director of beauty education for Sally Beauty Company, the world’s largest distributor of professional beauty products. A licensed cosmetologist for more than 30 years, he is a frequent contributor to fashion and beauty publications nationwide.
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