Are you a hardcore naturalist but with full-on girly flair? Do you desire a beauty routine that fits your health routine, but find it tough when shopping for makeup? Up until lately, it has been hard to find cosmetics that do not contain ingredients that don’t fit into a vegan or natural lifestyle. But that’s quickly changing. Now we are seeing more companies offering up green ways to look gorgeous.

I recently tried a cruelty- free, lead-free, chemical-free, fragrance-free, vegan, 100% natural brand (wow, I’m out of breath!) to see just what would be sacrificed in terms of results (color payoff, blendability, etc.) for being totally and utterly natural. I was pleasantly surprised with a few products by ZuZu Luxe by Gabriel Cosmetics which I had used on a strict vegan woman on an episode of What Not To Wear last year. This line can be found at Whole Foods Whole Body stores and at Gabriel Gosmetics.

Here’s my feedback: I would skip the foundations and concealors (my two cents is that it really takes some synthetic to make incredible coverage). What I did love was the shimmer eye shadows in shades like Sahara, Odyssey, Chameleon and Eternity. They glided on easy and looked soft and shimmery, not heavy or chalky. A must have for spring was the powder blush in Apricot. It’s all about a burnished cheek this coming season, so this shade will work for most skin tones and blends on like satin. I’d skip the mascara and glosses that seamed thick and dry, the creamy lipsticks are great. These went on lovely and my favorite shade is Galaxy, which is a good universal rose shade for grownups. Teens should try out the Uber lipstick for a glittery good time!

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

Benefit Sheer Cream Blusher

During this time of year, your skin can become more dry than ever and your radiance may seem to have just disappeared. Cream blush will save you now, even if your skin is oily. Many of the cream blushes of the past were far too greasy and had a tendency to slip off the face, change color or become blotchy. Not any more.

The new cream blush formulas are much more advanced and have great staying power, a silky smooth application and give you that fabulous luminous boost you crave. Cream blush looks more natural than their powdery counterparts and can applied in a flash. In the cold dry climate, a cream will look moist and soft and give you a gorgeous glow.

Always apply a cream blush after your foundation. Use your fingertips or a clean makeup sponge to swirl on the blush. Smile big and apply directly to the apples of your cheeks for a sweet cherub flush. If you goof and apply too much, simply use a sponge with a bit of foundation on it to buff down the shade until it melts into your skin.

If your skin is oily, dust a translucent powder on top to help it stay put. If you have dry skin, skip the powder for a more hydrated look. If your skin is rough or has a few blemishes, avoid any blushes that contain shimmer which will gather up in the cracks.

A dewy rosy cheek is the best way to mimic a youthful fresh look so give it a go. Some of my favorite formulas are Benefit Sheer Cream Blusher and Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Sheerest Cream Blush.

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

Tammy Faye never mastered the art of declumping her lashes

We have all been there: after an award-winning application of your makeup, you wait until the end to apply your mascara and then… oh no! an über mascara clump!

What to do? Well, I have seen women use just about anything to separate their lashes –a safety pin, a needle, I even saw a girl use the side of a razor blade… scary!

There are a few easy–and safe!–ways to un-clump lashes without risking blindness or even cutting them off.

The easiest way to de-clump is to purchase a metal folding lash comb like the folding lash comb from Tweezerman. While you mascara is still wet on your lashes, sweep the comb through the lashes for a perfect fringe. Never wait until the mascara is dry, because this can cause breakage and that is the last thing we want to do. Plastic lash combs just don’t separate like the thin metal teeth.

Another way to keep the lashes individually perfect is to twirl a clean, disposable mascara wand through them after applying mascara. You can find these in bags of 25 at makeup supply stores like Alcone. When you’re done, you can recycle it by washing it off for the next use.

In a pinch you can use a toothpick, which is still a bit dangerous so make sure you don’t live on a fault zone and your bathroom door is locked to avoid anyone barging in and startling you. Sight is more important than perfect lashes anytime!

Avoid clumps in the first place by wiping excess mascara off the wand before you apply it.

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

With all the holiday parties right now, there may be a chance you”ll have a little too much to drink one night and wake up feeling not so fresh. You know who you are! Well, getting rid of a hangover may take all day, but looking like you don’t even have one is something you can do in just a few minutes!

• First, drink plenty of water right upon waking. This will help flush out the puffiness.
• Pop a wet washcloth into the freezer while you take a cold shower–yes I said cold!–and when you get out take a moment to lay on your bed with the chilled washcloth over your eyes to reduce puffiness. A few drops of Visine are a must to get the red out.


Sally Hansen
Luminizing Face Primer

• Use a good moisturizer to prep your skin for makeup, then smooth on a face primer with light-reflecting pigments to give the illusion of well-rested and healthy skin. My favorite is by me (of course) Sally Hansen Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy Luminizing Face Primer.


BADgal blue mascara

• To make the eyes look as bright as possible, try adding a little dab of white shimmer powder on the inside tear duct and under the brow bone, then add a healthy dose of navy blue mascara. The deep navy color will actually make the eyes look a bit brighter. Try Benefit Bad Gal Blue Mascara.
• A pop of pink on the apples of the cheeks and a pink lip color will also give the illusion of a fresh face. Go for an easy 2-in-1 product like Stila Cherry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain.

See now nobody will know you were dancing on tables until 4 in the morning!

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

In The Family Stone, Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker)
keeps her makeup classic for a family holiday weekend

When it comes to party makeup, there is a big difference between going a party with your best friends versus a holiday get together with the family. I’m sure your mother-in-law may be a bit shocked if you showed up in gold metallic eye shadow, but your friends would totally adore it! Here are a couple guidelines:

- Keep the makeup experiments to your personal social events. Try rocking a cool Gucci eye or a total body shimmer for your office party or a friend’s holiday bash. This is where you can totally get away with it.

- When its family time, go demure. Don’t worry, you can still maintain your sense of individuality. I like to incorporate the trend of the moment in a more subtle way. For instance, instead of an intense red lip, try a lip stain like Revlon Just Bitten and keep the rest of your makeup simple. It won’t have the impact of a full red lipstick, but it will look more appropriate around the dinner table. I know you have that crazy aunt who probably wears screaming pink lipstick at these family functions, but that is why you all think she is crazy!

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

Ever want to know what goes on behind the scenes of one of my TV shows or video shoots? It’s always early call times and lot’s of multi-tasking but really fun. I have to be the host, the makeup artist, the script supervisor, the expert and the client, so it’s a lot of work. The other day I shot a series of beauty videos with the focus on fast easy tips. I had to arrive makeup-ready but the fabulous hairdresser Noah Hatton whipped my do into shape.

I then began applying the makeup on the models, but leaving out the main tip I was to discuss in each video. The gorgeous Kindra Hansen allowed me to enhance her naturally gorgeous skin with a little liquid foundation and highlighter. I used Sally Hansen Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy Your Skin Makeup, Nars Cream Blush in Gold Member on top of her cheekbones and Mac Blot Powder in Dark. The look we gave her on camera was the smoky eye, so the lips stayed nude.

My good friend and stylist Chrissy Lloyd adjusted my dress on set while Noah made his finishing touches on the hair. Kindra took a before photo and then we began shooting.

Of course I always do my own makeup and I have to make sure to remember to do my own touchups too. Sometimes I am so focused on the model I forget that I get pretty shiny under those hot lights.

I love teaching women how to apply easy secrets and tricks to make their life easier. One of my favorites is to keep a little concealer brush that has been dipped into foundation handy at all times when doing your makeup. This is like a magic eraser to eliminate any mistakes without undoing any of your handy work. Perfect when creating a smoky eye that may get a little messy. My favorite concealer brush is by Amazing Cosmetics.

Last take of the day I have shown tips on everything from how to go from day to night in mere seconds to creating a perfect long wearing red lip. These can be long days but I have such a blast doing it that it’s really like playing and not work!

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

A rich shimmery shade of deep green looks great on everyone. No matter what skin tone or iris color you have, a simple sweep of this emerald shade will glam up your eyes and get you noticed. The rich shimmer of Mac Brushed Metal X in Verdigris (shown at right) almost looks wet on the eye creating a very cool look.

The key to getting the green eye right is all in the sweep. First, take an angle brush and drag the shadow across a green eye shadow, then apply it close to the roots of your upper lash line, starting at the inner corner and sweeping it back towards the outer corner. Don’t apply any color under the lower lash line because keeping it simple makes this look modern and wearable.

Add a champagne highlight under the brow, on the inner corners, and a little dab on the lid. Black mascara is a must, so apply it on top and bottom lashes. A peachy pink blush and lip color is perfect to polish off the look.

This look is totally universal and is great for a holiday party!

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that i truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

Okay, everyone loves beauty loot for the holidays. Here are some of my favorite gifts to help you shop for the people you love. Here’s how to make the gift really special: write a card with a fantastic compliment about the receiver i.e., “You have such beautiful eyes and I know this color will look amazing on them” or “Your smile lights up a room so I thought of you when I saw this gloss.” That truly will be the gift that keeps on giving. So I have broken it down by who gets what:

Sally Hansen Sun Glow Powder Bronzer

Mom: An age-fighting pampering facial is just what she needs and something she probably never does for herself. Make it easy by buying her one cream that does it all. I love the Bliss Youth As We Know It Cream.

Sister: The new Mac Brushed Metal-X Eye Shadows look wet on the skin and are really fun for playing up your eyes at night. I suggest picking one up that enhances your sister’s eyes. If her eyes are green, go for Forged Rose. If her eyes are brown, try Metalblu. Blue eyes will sparkle in Gold Spice and hazel eyes look great with Verdigris.

Cousin: Bronzer is just like a really cool accessory and looks great as a gift. Pick up one with a festive sunburst on it like Sally Hansen Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy Sun Glow Powder Bronzer (shown above).

Tarte Lip Gloss Clutch

Teenage Niece: Bright and bold colors for nails are the perfect for a young teen who wants to show off her individuality. NYC Nail Glossies Nail Enamel has a range of great shades and at $1.99 you can fill up a stocking with a bunch fun colors.

Friend: Give the gift of gloss this year in a fun range of colors. Your friend will be able to play with a different one every day of the week. Check out the Tarte Purse Your Lips Limited Edition Lip Gloss Clutch.

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

Style.com

It’s here! The holiday season is upon us and yes, of course, you want to be spot on with the hottest beauty trends for this year’s festivities. Well, it’s all about a metallic eye, but don’t worry–it’s subtle and everyone can wear it. Silver, copper, bronze, and gold are just really fun versions of very wearable neutrals.

Here’s a metallic look I love from the Tuleh Fall ’08 Runway. To recreate it, first you need to decide which metallic shades you want to play with. I like silver and bronze together or a combo of gold and copper. Go for powder shadows instead of cream formulas because they are easier to blend.

Sweep the gold or silver shadow over your lid, starting at the inside corner and stopping about half way across the lid. Next, dust the copper or bronze shadow on the outer half of your lid, blending slightly up into the crease. Sweep the same shadow under the outer half of your lower lashline. Finally, rim the roots of your upper lashline with black eyeliner, and apply two coats of black mascara to top lashes only.

Pair this festive eye with a very neutral blush and lip color in nude tones so you look balanced and not overpowered.

Now get ready to party!

Garnier Nutrionist Anti-Wrinkle
Firming Eye Cream

Now that the weather is downright cold, our eyes need a little extra TLC. Chilled air dries out the delicate skin around your eyes, which makes wrinkles appear more pronounced and your eye makeup can look chalky and flakey.

The first thing I recommend is to step up your skincare routine. Make sure to use a really rich and creamy eye balm every night. During the day, pat it on again before applying your makeup. This will keep your skin nice and hydrated and help your makeup go on smoothly.

Clinique Quick Eyes
Cream Shadow

Switch out your powder eye shadows for cream formulas which will prevent your skin from looking parched. If creasing is a worry, keep creamy highlight shadows under the brow and in the inner corners only. Also, dab a darker cream shadow on your lids, but stop short of the crease to avoid creasing.

Sally Hansen by Carmindy:
Lift and Define Mascara

Try a pot of gel eyeliner to line your eyes. Use a liner brush to precisely paint it on and also give your lashlines a shot of hydration. Switch up waterproof mascara for protein-rich formulas that condition lashes like Sally Hansen by Carmindy’s Lift and Define Mascara. Lashes can really take a beating this time of year, so treat them gently.

With these tips, you should find that the little lines around your eyes will look less noticeable, your makeup will look smooth and you’ll be able to face the harsh winter with confidence!

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.

Getting up at the ungodly hour of 4:45a.m. to appear on The Today Show was worth every yawn. I was there to talk about my new book Get Positively Beautiful and do makeovers on four women–Ivonne, Paula, Sarah and Bernice–who are featured in the chapter Everyone Loves A Makeover. I had had my dynamic duo of assistants, Ashleigh and Emily, there to help me get the ladies ready.



It has been about 10 months since we photographed the women for my book, so we went through old notes to see which shades I had originally used on them. To my surprise, each girl pretty much remembered exactly what their colors were. Since I used mainly my line of cosmetics, Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy, they all had become diehard fans and literally whipped them from their purses to show me.


The segment was so fun! Amy Robach and I discussed how I achieved their looks. One by one, I shared each woman’s unique beauty obstacle and how we redirected the focus to play up her best asset. The girls looked amazing!

The lovely Ann Curry and Al Roker joined me at the end to finish off the spot with a bang! Click here to watch the segment.

Just an observation ladies, but I constantly notice women in airports, in restaurant bathrooms and a lot more places pulling out a powder compact, dragging the puff harshly against the powder, then smearing it wildly across their skin matting it down completely.

THIS MUST STOP!

Your skin is meant to breath and have a natural looking glow. Powder has a purpose and suffocating your face is not it. This is a very old school approach of coating your skin with caky powder to try and hide imperfections. Dry cakey face is what you are getting, not the radiant skin you want.

Let me explain the right way to powder properly: After applying your foundation and concealer, dust a very light loose translucent powder over the face and eyelids. You want to use jet-milled powders that are so sheer, they do not layer on a heavy veil to the skin.

Powder should serve two purposes only. One is to eliminate shine and the other is to set your makeup. Great looking skin happens when you allow the foundation and concealer to smooth out imperfections and powder is used just to set it. Try my Sally Hansen Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy Truly Translucent Loose Powder (at right). This is made from bamboo and is light as air. Then throughout the day take a compact with you that is equally as featherweight. I like MAC Blot Powder because it’s like blotting papers in powder form. Just lightly push the puff into the powder then tap it gently on the shiny areas of the face. No more heavy handed smearing of chalkiness. Chances are you will see fewer breakouts, have radiant skin and get a lot more compliments.

When it comes to the overwhelming quest to find the perfect mascara, I personally believe that size matters. Now this is the only time when I will say the smaller the better, but trust me, the results will be fantastic. I’m talking about brush size, by the way. There are so many mascara formulas to choose from that you could probably try one a day for a year and still not be able to test them all out. I have chosen 7 of my top favorite mascaras to share with you, explaining what type of lashes they are good for and what they do.

When it comes to mascara I believe it’s one of those “must have on a deserted island” products. Intensifying your lash line is the quickest way to frame your gorgeous peepers with a flirty fringe of fabulosity with little to no real commitment. Just sweep and go. No matter what shape, color or size your eyes are mascara will enhance them naturally.

If you like a natural looking lash that really enhances your true lash line and goes on in a flash, the three best mascaras for you are Maybelline Great Lash, Maybelline Lash Discovery or Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy Lift and Define Mascara (shown at right). These mascaras give a light clean even coat with no clumping or smudging. The small brushes will reach every little lash and they are not the size of a football like other mascara wands so smudging never happens. These are really perfect daytime mascaras.

For those who are not afraid of a clump or smudge and really want to make a statement with their lashes, go for Diorshow Mascara (shown at left) or Benefit BadGal Lash. The larger brush size of the Diorshow and Badgal sweep on a rich thick coat of mascara (keep a metal lash comb and a Q-Tip handy), but the result is fun and sexy. I personally would save these mascaras for parties, special events or clubbing with the girls.

For ladies who are interested in funky shaped brushes that deliver a good curved lash try Rimmel Glam Eyes or Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes Mascara. These interesting shaped brushes take a little more precision when applying, but deliver a fancy lash that looks incredible. These small but unusual brushes really do the trick if you take a little time. Work on one coat, then reapply a second for best results.

Last is the all daywear with no smudging tube technology group. Blinc Kiss Me Mascara and L’Oreal Double Extend Mascara is the new wave in mascara technology. These formulas tube your lashes in little polymers creating a smudge-free longwearing lash that slips off with a little warm water. No need for messy makeup remover cloths. These mascaras are perfect for mature women who find that mascara runs down their face by the end of the day. I love them too for ladies living in hot humid climates that don’t want the hassle of a hard to get off waterproof formula. 

These are pretty awesome for any age group so I do recommend giving them a go.

As an established makeup artist, many beauty brands send me samples of their latest products for consideration. I only write about the items that I truly love and I always abide by Daily Makeover’s Editorial Ethics Pledge in each of my Positively Beautiful posts.