Beauty of the Month

Chamayne "Mandy" Reid is a 22 yr old young aspiring entrepreneur. Born and raised in the "ATL".  She is an up and coming photographer with her own photography business "MayneChicPhotography"

Her love for vintage and retro clothing helped her find her place in the fashion world in 2009.  Through personal styling, which peeked a new interest in photography, Chamayne is currently studying commercial photography at Gwinnett Technical College. This funky fly diva is on her way and definitely Consumed by Beauty! 

Check her out on www.maynechicphotography.com 

Color Correcting Makeup

If you're looking to boost your radiance, hide unwanted blemishes, or get rid of redness then I have the tips for you.  

Remember when you were a kid and you first learned about colors?  You were so excited to learn that primary colors: red, yellow, and blue when mixed together made orange, green, and purple.  Well, you can still make magic and have a similar effect when dealing with makeup.  So if you want to get hide imperfections or simply enhance them, then try some of the techniques below.

Red/Green- If you suffer with rosacea or redness, then using a green color contouring concealer or base will help to offset the red.  Nothing is more worse then having a huge red pimple or a face full of red acne.

Yellow/Purple-  Got dark circles under your eyes or suffer from hyperpigmentation? Then using a  yellow color contouring concealer or base will help to offset the purple. Walking around like you've slept in eyeliner is not a good look.

Coral- Now coral will do nothing for dark spots, redness, rosacea, or any other serious skin problem.  What coral is good for is giving your skin a boost of radiance, adding warmth to a matte finish, and waking up tired looking skin.  So for my ladies who have had a long fun weekend of partying and you now have the Monday blues, blend in a bit of coral into your make up application.

10 Power Tools to Perfection

1. Blush Brush

2. Foundation Brush

3. Powder Brush

4. Eyeshadow Brush

5. Lip Brush

6. Wedge Sponges

7. Brow Brush

8. Eyelash Separator

9. Blending Brush

10. Liner Brush

The Power of Powders

Face powders serve two purposes: ONE: To help control oil or shine and TWO: to set foundations and concealers. Whenever you wear foundation or a concealer you always want to set it with a powder.  This will keep your foundation in place, keep it from sliding and falling into fine lines, and wearing off.

The kind of powder you choose will depend on the type of look you want.  There are many different types and shades of face powders:

Translucent: Colorless and great for all skin tones.  Mostly used when setting concealer under your eyes or around your nose.  It works better than pigmented powder because those can make the area appear darker and remember, the purpose of concealer is to highlight and illuminate dark areas.

Pigmented: This can be used alone and if you're in a hurry and just want a fresh, clean look then a pigmented powder would be perfect for a 5min face. If you're using it to set your foundation make sure it is one shade lighter than your skin otherwise it will darken and make your skin look patchy.

Foundation Powder: Talk about having the best of both worlds.  You can get full coverage and keep shine under control.

• loose- sheer and light used to control oil and shine.
• pressed- heavier coverage to even out skin tone

Mineral: Fragrance free, chemical free, and hypoallergenic.  It doesn't clogs pores and gives the same even coverage and foundation powder.

Illuminating: Light reflecting sheer powders that have a slight shimmer to give skin a luminous effect.  Can be used over foundation or alone.  Be careful, because using an illuminating powder will enhance wherever they are applied.  So if you have a flat nose, add dimension by swiping the powder down the bridge of your nose. 

Pink History

Pink- is any of the colors between bluish red (purple) and red, of medium to high brightness and of low to moderate saturation. Commonly used for Valentine's Day and Easter, pink is sometimes referred to as "the color of love." The use of the word for the color known today as pink was first recorded in the late 17th century.
(this definition was taken directly from wikipedia) 

Common Skin Care Ingredients

Okay so when shopping for skin care products it's a good idea to know what your looking for.  Like I have stated before, first you need to know your skin type.  Once you know your skin type then you need to know what ingredients will help with your skin type, which in the end will result in finding a perfect product(s) for  your skin.

For Oily or Acne Prone skin:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR

• Salicylic Acid
• Benzoyl Peroxide 

CLEANSER INGREDIENTS

• Sodium laureth sulfate
• Sodium cocyl isethionate
• Cocomidopropyl betaine
• Disodium cocamphodiacetate 

You want to AVOID any moisturizing products like:

Shea butter, mineral oil, perolatum, paraffin, beeswax, etc.

For Dry skin:

CLEANSER AND MOISTURIZER INGREDIENTS

• Shea or cocoa butter
• Lanolin
• Paraffin 
• Beeswax
• Almond, Coconut, Jojoba, Sesame, and other plant oils
• Olive oil

You want to AVOID any drying product like: Isopropyl alcohol, sodium chloride, AHA acids, Salicylic acid, sodium laureth sulfate, etc. 

For Sensitive Skin: 

CLEANSER

Polysosrbate 85 or 60

MOISTURIZER

• Shea or cocoa butter
• paraffin
• beeswax
• olive oil
• Triethylhexanoin
• Squalene
• Almond, Coconut, Jojoba, Sesame, and other plant oils

HUMECTANTS 

• Glycerin
• Sorbitol
• Urea
• Allantoin
• Sodium PCA

You want to AVOID irritating or harsh products like: sodium chloride, AHA acids, Chemical sunscreens, salicylic acids or willow bark, isoproyl alcohol 

Five Skin Tips for Healthy Skin

I know sometimes it can be hard to maintain skin.  You don't always have time for an intensive skin care regimen or you can't go to the spa as often as you like for a facial.  Did you know that there are simple ways to help maintain healthy skin care on your own?  Try these five skin care tips and see if your skin improves.

1. Eating a Healthy Diet: Have you heard the saying, " You are what you eat?"  Well, that saying is very true.  What we put into our bodies also affects our skin.  If you are prone to eating a lot of junk foods then you may be prone to more acne or breakouts.  Eat more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains.  There is still not an exact association between a poor diet and acne skin, but research has shown that a diet high in Vitamin C can help promote youthful skin.

2. Protect your skin: Don't be afraid to wear sunscreen.  Sunscreen should be apart of your daily skin care regimen.  I know they say that the sun is good for the skin and that it provides natural Vitamin D, and that's true, but too much sun exposure over a lifetime can cause: wrinkles, aging skin, lentigines (sun spots), hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer.  Also, for my women of color, don't think that you don't need to wear sunscreen because your skin is darker.  Although, your chances of being sunburned or getting skin cancer are lesser, you are still at risk and need to protect you skin just the same.  Again a lifetime of over exposed sun damage can cause many skin care/health problems.

3.  Do not smoke: Smoking is not only bad for the skin, but bad for your over all health.  Smoking can cause your skin to become dry, aging, sagging, and cause wrinkles.  It also weakens the strength of your skin and it's elasticity.  Smoking decreases blood flow which depletes the skin oxygen and nutrients which are vital for healthy skin.

4. Don't Stress: Uncontrolled stress can trigger the skin into a sensitive state, and cause your skin to have an acne breakout.  In order to prevent this you want to have a healthy and clear mindset.

5. Be Gentle:  Take care of your skin. Your skin is the largest organ of the body and a protectant to internal body parts.  Try to avoid really hot showers or bath, strong soaps and detergents, always use a lubricant when shaving, and add moisture to the skin.  When you take those hot showers or baths or use those strong soaps and detergents, your stripping your skin of oils.  Your body secretes it's own natural oils, but sometimes it is also necessary to add extra oil, especially for people with dry skin.