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Hi welcome back!
I’ve been thinking about beauty quite a bit lately. I feel women have so much pressure today with all their responsibilities and beauty shouldn’t add to the stress of daily life. Beauty should be fun and simple. I’ve gathered 5 must-read beauty tips below. Beauty Tip #1. When I worked in cosmetics we often said. “the first rule of beauty- there are no rules.” Wear makeup that feels good to you and enhances your features. If you love blue eye liner, rock it. If you want blonder hair, go for it. The great thing about makeup is if you don’t like it you can always wash it off. Being true to your beauty favorites is the quickest way to feeling good. Beauty Tip #2- Keep it simple. Feel free to collect as much makeup as you want–Lord knows I do. What I mean by ‘keep it simple’ is to understand what works for you and use products that you can use everyday. I have a container of items I use every day and can do my makeup in 15 minutes. Getting ready shouldn’t eat up precious time. It also takes the pressure off of having a hectic morning routine. Now a night out, that’s different. Beauty Tip #3- Always wash your face at night. Even if it’s just a cleansing wipe. Your skin will thank you. Sleeping in your makeup can lead to clogged pores, dull skin and breakouts. Plus you might sleep better knowing your skin is fresh and clean. I really make a ritual of it and it helps me relax before bed. Invest in a cleanser you love and a night cream to top off a lovely bedtime routine. Beauty Tip #4 – Invest in quality skincare that works for your skin type and concerns. Taking care of your skin means your makeup will perform better and you may need less of it. There are so many great choices now for all skin types. Invest in a good moisturizer with sunscreen, eye cream, serum and night cream. If you’re not sure what skincare to use I’m happy to make recommendations. Beauty Tip #5- Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. Your skin reflects your lifestyle. I recommend taking a multivitamin, drinking lots of water and getting a full 8 hours sleep whenever possible. For an extra glow take an omega supplement that adds moisture to your skin from the inside out. There you have it! 5 great tips you can easily incorporate into your beauty routine. Drop me a line if I can answer any questions or if you just want to talk beauty!
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 Concealers are hard-working multi-taskers and can be used to hide dark circles, cover discolorations, erase shadows and highlight the top of the cheekbones. This is the one item that you must have for early mornings AND photo worthy events. Eyes get the most attention when working with bridal clients so I thought to share my favorites for brightening the under eye area.
IT Cosmetics CC+ Eye Color Correcting Full Coverage Cream Concealer SPF 50+ This concealer is great for covering any discoloration and dark circles with a creamy formula that feels light on the skin with a subtle glow. Excellent coverage with SPF for the win. I recommend applying this first under the eyes, across the top of your cheekbones and down along the sides of your nose to brighten and highlight. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer This is a holy grail product with a huge following for good reason. It glides on and comes in a wide array of shades(16 ) for all skin tones. You'll love this if you're a makeup minimalist as less is more with this concealer. Apply a few dots under the eye and across the orbital bone and pat with fingertips to blend. No need to set with powder. Maybelline Fit Me Concealer This is a recent find for me and I love the price (under $10) and it is so easy to work with in a lightweight, creamy formula that erases and brightens. This is the concealer that my client said- "what is that? I need that!" I love the way this looks across the side of the eye, top of the cheek bone and down the sides of the nose to bring light to the middle of the face. Looks great under a light dusting of powder. There you have it! My favorites for early mornings, photo shoots, and faking a full night's sleep.  What do makeup and pre-teens have in common? Everything! Clean, natural makeup never looked so good as when I did a makeup lesson for Kiera's birthday for her and her friends Dylan and Ashleigh. This age is the best time to play and experiment with makeup. We covered everything from skincare to eye shadow, eyeliner and of course highlighter for the glow! Their favorite part was learning about eyeliner as this is the one technique that takes more practice to master. Giving makeup lessons is one of my favorite things about being a makeup artist and these gals lived super close in Bothell, WA so we had plenty of time to explore and play. The best thing about 12-13 year olds and makeup? That skin. It's an artist's dream to work with flawless skin.  Ok, let's get into what all is included in a makeup lesson. First, a makeup lesson is a great idea for a birthday party because it is all done in the comfort of your home and you have a professional artist working one-on-one with you to answer all your questions and show you how to hold a brush and which colors work best on your complexion. Second, this is where being a consultant is key because I choose products that are affordable and easy to use at this age. You can buy quality brushes and makeup that don't break the bank so I always make smart recommendations. Kiera, Dylan and Ashleigh had plenty of great questions about skincare and makeup. They are doing a great job with the 2 most important steps: wash your face every night and use a sunscreen daily. So we covered proper skincare and jumped right into makeup. I used the NYX BB cream in Natural on each of them as it is sheer and lightweight and imparts a soft glow to the skin. They are 12 years old with great skin, so no need for concealer or foundation yet.  After the skin is prepped then it's all about color. I showed them an eye chart and asked them to tell me which eye shape they had and then I showed them how to apply eye shadow and liner based on their eye shape. I would apply the makeup on one side of the face and have them watch and then try it on the other side. It was really fun to see their faces light up after seeing the difference eye shadow makes. Typically we choose two colors: a lid and crease color for soft contour. Understanding the best colors to make your eyes pop is key. I choose a blush for each of them and finished off with the NYX liquid highlighter for a pretty glow on the cheeks and face. This was their favorite part since they got to apply the shimmer themselves and everyone loves a glow! We finished up with lips and mascara and voila- they were finished.  The finishing touch is creating a personalized face chart for each girl so she knows which products I used and placement of color that she can keep. As I told them be sure to practice the steps so they become familiar and don't worry about trying to look like people on Instagram. This is makeup that is age appropriate and it should be fun not extra work to get ready.
If you're thinking about hiring a makeup artist for a lesson then I hope you found this helpful. Cheers!  I admit I'm late to the game with using a primer and so I decided to test several to find out what I thought. As a makeup artist I use primer on clients but don't use one regularly myself because my skin is sensitive and I didn't love the feel of a primer on my skin. Well, that has changed. There are so many options with primers for lips, eyelids, lashes and the formulations have improved greatly from the silicone-heavy primers of the early 2000s. Primers are a category all on their own and several of them include treatments and ingredients to hydrate and protect the skin. Smooth makeup plus better skin? Yes, please. These are my favorite primers that I've tried recently. GlamGlow Volcasmic Matte Glow Moisturizer -Primer plus moisturizer. This is a must-have if you want a smooth makeup application and I couldn't believe the difference it made under my liquid foundation. It hydrates the skin with ingredients that absorb excess oil and gives a flawless finish using even less foundation. Definitely a favorite for when I want a photo-finish- usually for a night out or when I know I'll be photographed. Added bonus: it includes a TEAOXI®’s Complex (Cherry Tomato Leaf, Prickly Pear, and Vitamin B5) which moisturizes and fortifies skin’s barrier and helps skin feel calm and replenished. NARS Radiance Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 35 Sunscreen-I love this primer because it includes a protective SPF 35 and is lightweight enough for everyday use. It has a texture similar to a light serum. I usually layer this on top of my moisturizer and it imparts a subtle glow as it is tinted pink. This is my favorite for everyday wear and as a bonus it brightens my skin in the morning. It is easy to wear and feels great on my skin. Another favorite from NARS. Bare Minerals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow Broad Spectrum SPF 15-I'm pretty much obsessed with this cream eye shadow from Bare Minerals. I've tried the Urban Decay Primers, MAC and others. I was looking for an eye shadow primer that absolutely preps the lids for eye shadow and provides long wear. Thanks to Pro Artist Wayne Goss, I discovered this 5 in 1 base on his YouTube channel. This one is my favorite because it goes on easily with an applicator, dries down quickly and doesn't budge. It comes in a variety of shades and you can wear it alone or layer it under your eye shadow. I wear eye shadow almost every day and they blend beautifully over this as a base and last all day even through a good workout at the gym. I also love how this covers discoloration on my eyelids and brightens the eye area. I definitely carry this in my makeup kit for clients.  I admit it. I'm obsessed with skincare.
I love the way makeup can make you feel but I also understand how important it is to take care of your skin. I spend plenty of time and money to take care of my skin with regular facials and a consistent skincare routine for my dry, reactive skin. I had noticed additional signs of aging recently and was concerned. I turned 40 last year and I could see things changing. My main concern was rosacea on my left cheek which I inherited thanks to my Dad's German ancestry. The rosacea had gotten worse in that it was bright red and covered about the size of 2 quarters just to the left of my nose and arced up towards my brow. It was angry skin- often dry, bumpy and would flush bright red after a glass of wine. Definitely not a sexy look. It also made getting ready even longer since I had to apply additional concealer and foundation to cover the large red area. I was also starting to feel insecure about going around with little makeup which I prefer on those days I'm running errands or working from home. After some research I found that IPL or Intense Pulsed Light was the right approach to address the rosacea and uneven texture on the left side of my face. I had my first IPL Photofacial session a few weeks ago and have been really impressed with the results so far even after just one session. IPL is a great choice for improving the look of skin plus it is non-invasive and usually performed in a doctor's office or medical spa. IPL is done in a series of treatments for the best results. What is IPL? IPL is a laser used in different skin treatments with a handheld flashgun. The most common treatments are photofacials or hair removal. They can also be called laser skin rejuvenation, photorejuvenation or laser resurfacing. What is IPL Used For? The most common use for IPL is to lighten and remove discoloration. Think sun spots, brown spots on the face, neck, chest, hands or other parts of the body. It is also used for lightening and reducing redness including rosacea, dilated blood vessels and broken blood vessels on the face, neck and chest. It can help control flushing as in my case. My Experience My experience was so easy and relaxing. I've had IPL for hair removal before which stung for sure but this first session to address my rosacea was very different and it didn't hurt at all. I found a plastic surgeon's office in Edmonds with an aesthetician I really wanted to meet because of her experience (12 years! ) and knowledge of skin treatments. After an initial consultation where we discussed my concerns and how IPL would address those concerns, I came back for my first session. Also, did I mention she is a makeup artist? Thank you, Universe. First, she numbed my face using a cream since the IPL would take place mainly on my cheeks and this would reduce any discomfort. This took about 25 minutes for the cream to take effect. Once I was numbed up, she took me to a lovely spa- like room with a bed and a couple of machines set up. I laid down, got comfy and she began to run the handheld device over my cheeks and asked if it was comfortable for me every time she made a pass over my skin. It didn't hurt. The only thing I noticed is the bright light it emits but you wear protective eye goggles similar to those worn in tanning booths. The whole session took about 20 minutes and she sent me home with instructions to gently cleanse and moisturize my skin but to avoid the sun, skin peels or fruit acids on my face. Sunscreen was a must too. I was able to wear makeup right away. After about a week I noticed the redness on my cheek had shrunk down quite a bit and wasn't flushing as much. I can't wait to go back for my next session.  A recent poll of friends and clients confirms the biggest skin concern right now is hydrating dry skin. I'm not surprised since I've been snuggled up inside on the couch with the heat on full blast and my pup nearby. Seattle weather has served up several days at 20 degrees and I can tell when I look in the mirror. I see dry, itchy skin.
Staying moisturized, hydrated, and following a few simple lifestyle practices, such as using a humidifier, will allow you to ward off the dry skin during the colder months and keep your skin looking dewy and beautiful. I'll provide a full skincare regimen in my next blog post but let's talk first about what you can do to improve the situation. Sleep With A Humidifier Indoor heating on full blast dries out our skin quickly and I recommend sleeping with a humidifier in your bedroom to replace moisture to the air. Humidifiers are great for colds but also help your skin stay hydrated and supple. Ditch the Hot Shower I love a hot shower to warm up in the morning but hot water strips skin of essential oils so turn the temperature down from super-hot to warm and make sure to apply lotion, coconut oil or body butter to damp skin to lock in moisture. If you can shower less frequently to prevent drying out. I know, it depends on your lifestyle but it makes a big difference. Hold the Soap Choose a shower gel or cleanser specifically formulated for dry skin. Look for soothing ingredients such as colloidal oatmeal, shea butter and sesame oil. Everyone's skin is different so you can try cleansers with olive oil, argan oil or coconut oil. Regular soap will dry out your skin even faster if you regularly lather your whole body. I am currently loving the Aveeno Nourishing Body Wash with Fig and Shea Butter. It smells amazing! Don't Over-Exfoliate The delicate skin on our face can only take so much stress and winter brings plenty of it. If you've read my other posts you know I love to exfoliate and advise exfoliating regularly during the summer months. This changes during the winter from 2-3 times a week to once a week. You still get smooth skin without damaging already stressed skin. Also, put down the facial scrub and switch to an exfoliating mask for an even gentler experience. I recommend the Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Mask. You can find it at Whole Foods or PCC and it is effective and affordable. Another favorite is the Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask. Bring Back the Moisture I will provide a full winter skin care regimen in my next blog post but let's start with the most important thing here. Hydrating your skin is a must during the winter months. Use a facial moisturizer every day and ditch the foaming cleanser for a cream or oil facial cleanser to prevent stripping of facial oils. Your winter face cream should have one or several of these ingredients: squalane, glycerin, shea butter, avocado oil, argan oil, sea buckthorn oil, coconut oil and sodium hyaluronate. Sodium hyaluronate is a favorite because of its ability to penetrate skin and hold onto water. Try the Better Skin Mirakle Cream with its unique blend of sodium hyaluronate, shea butter, coconut oil and sea buckthorn oil. Another cream that delivers is Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream; it delivers a steady dose of moisture throughout the day. Drink Up And last but not least drink plenty of water to hydrate from the inside out. Coffee is king here in Seattle but try skipping the afternoon cup and instead have a cup of tea which doesn't dehydrate like caffeine. Thanks for reading and up next I'll be sharing my winter skincare favorites for hydrated skin. *Alicia Auer Beauty does not receive any compensation for product recommendations and is not a doctor. Her skincare advice is based on years of experience and research as a beauty professional. If you have skincare concerns it is always best to consult with a physician. Alicia prefers to recommend skincare products that are paraben free and preservative free whenever possible.* Bridal Beauty Prep: Week by Week   You've been busy planning your wedding and there are many details to attend to. Consider your skin and beauty needs well before the wedding to have glowing skin on the big day. Before you even consider your makeup, focus on your skin first, preferably a year in advance. Start A Year in Advance 1. Develop A Skincare Routine To get your skin in top form, start a specific skincare routine about a year in advance. If you don't have that long before the wedding day try to adopt these good skincare habits as soon as possible. 2. Schedule Professional Facials This is the perfect time to indulge in some pampering and work with a professional aesthetician to assess and improve your skin. Book monthly facials to refresh your skin. An experienced aesthetician will massage your skin, scalp and decolletage to stimulate blood circulation and keep your skin looking healthy. This is a great time to address clogged pores and your aesthetician can extract the dirt from pores at your request. Only a professional should do this as if you try it at home it can cause scarring. If monthly facials are outside your budget opt for at least three in the 6 months before your wedding. 3. Use A Skin-Specific Moisturizer Not every moisturizer works for everyone. You'll want to look for one that addresses your specific skin type. Even oily skin needs moisture to balance and hydrate. A gel moisturizer works well for oily skin. Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ferulic acid, both of which help your skin maintain water. Dry skin benefits from moisturizers with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and squalane. Dry skin craves moisture. If your skin is prone to breakouts, choose a moisturizer that's noncomedogenic. The bottle should have this noted. Sensitive skin will benefit from a fragrance-free moisturizer and soothing ingredients such as raspberry extract and oatmeal. 4. Reduce Sunspots and Scarring with a Glycolic Peel It may sound scary but a peel is another way to exfoliate skin with fruit acids. They are gentle enough for most skin types and you can request one designed for sensitive skin if your skin is more reactive. Glycolic Acid is an alpha- hydroxy acid that breaks down old, dead skin and a peel will slough off dead skin and bring new, fresh skin to the surface. This is a must for even skin that will make your makeup artist's job much easier since there is less to cover and your makeup will apply evenly. To make the most of these treatments book a series of peels in advance about two weeks apart. If you have a full year before the wedding book twice in fall and twice in the spring. Avoid a summer peel if you can since skin is more susceptible to burning this time of year. Another great option if peels are outside your beauty budget is to invest in an effective glycolic mask or peel pads well in advance of the wedding. Consider Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads or Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask.   4-6 Months Before the Wedding 1. Self-Care is Key Take care of yourself and boost your beauty efforts with regular exercise, getting plenty of sleep, drinking a lot of water and eating a well-balanced diet. Don't try any new products or aggressive skin treatments at a spa or dermatologist's office. Maintain your skincare routine and wear extra sun protection. 2. Visit Your Dermatologist If you have major skin concerns like acne and uneven pigmentation, it’s best to get the situation under control well in advance. This is the time to have your doctor prescribe topical treatments such as retinoids and medications to address them. This gives you time to see improvement in your skin over the next few months without reactions right before your wedding. 3. Eat Super Foods No matter what your skin type is it craves water. Sure, drinking water helps, but snacking on naturally hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables works too. Other super foods for your face? Try grapefruit, cucumbers, tomatoes and kale. 4. Get Brows On Point Have your brow groomer settle on a shape and tint as far in advance as possible so you can figure out what you like best. For the most flattering and youthful effect keep brows as full and as natural (not too perfect) as possible, which may mean tweezing instead of waxing.   Three Weeks Prior 1. Brighten Your Smile Get your smile camera-ready with your dentist. For a subtle upgrade book a professional cleaning to remove surface stains and plaque. Then, one day later, go back for an in-office whitening procedure like Philips Zoom QuickPro. To maintain the brightness, using over-the-counter whitening strips up until a day before the wedding can help. 2. Refresh Hair Color Figure out which hair color works best for you as far in advance as possible. Choose a color that makes you feel most like yourself. At this point you can update highlights or schedule a root touch up so the color has a chance to settle in and still look fresh. You won't have to worry about your roots growing out either. One Week Prior 1. Say No to Salt Since your wedding is a week away practice restraint as much as possible. Avoid salty foods, too many carbs and maintain regular exercise. These things can cause your body to retain water and can result in a puffy face and eyes. 2. Go for a Final Trim Don't make a drastic change with your hair this close to your wedding to prevent any surprises. Have a trusted stylist trim your ends and bangs. Three Days Prior 1. Wax Carefully To ensure your skin is smooth but not irritated, get waxed no later than 72 hours before the wedding day. Don't overdo it but simply tweeze any stray hairs near your brows.  The Day of the Wedding
1. Prep Your Skin For a last-minute boost on the morning of your wedding, apply a gentle exfoliating mask like Murad Pomegrante Exfoliating Mask. Rinse, then apply a hydrating serum onto your face, neck and décolleté and layer on the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm to brighten and tighten the skin before makeup. Now just relax, have your hair and makeup done and have fun!  My bridal clients often ask me which blush to use for their wedding day. They want to look pretty, not painted. Aside from 8 hours of sleep, the right blush can lift your face, enhance your eyes and punch up the glow factor.
Blush is one of my first loves. This love affair with blush dates back to antiquity. Blush has been a makeup necessity since ancient times and was used by Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Today, as a professional makeup artist I've definitely graduated to blush in all shades and the options are endless. For my bridal clients I always emphasize the importance of blush for a flawless photo. Think NARS Orgasm blush for a flush of peachy color or Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush for an ethereal glow. These are just two options that are leaps and bounds ahead of what we used in 1989 thanks to advanced pigments and finely milled powders If you’re busy planning a wedding like most of my clients and can’t get 8 hours of sleep? It’s no problem with the right blush in hand. Trust me, as a pro makeup artist I’ve seen the power of blush to lift a girl’s smile countless times. If you want to look your best for your wedding photos or just look every -day gorgeous, brush up on these tips to learn where to apply your favorite blush. 1. The old advice to apply blush only to the apples of your cheeks is a rule you can forget about. Where to apply blush depends on the shade you choose. First: Perfect your face with foundation or tinted moisturizer. Apply your concealer so you are starting with a fresh canvas. Then choose your blush color. Apply depending on the shade you choose. Pretty in Pink: Cool pink blushes mimic the rosiness of cheeks after a brisk walk. Tip: Apply pink blush only on the very top of the apple of the cheek with a domed blush brush. Tap into the color and tap onto the cheeks. Don't swirl it but rather tap it and blend it back toward the hairline along the top of the cheeks. Make sure not to apply it too close to the smile lines on either side of your nose. You just want an infusion of color not mime-worthy circles of color. Warm It Up: Peachy blush or blush with golden warm undertones like warm corals look best swept under the cheekbone. Tip: They are closer to natural skin tones so use them to sculpt your cheekbones. Cool pinks can look too 'stripy' when placed under the cheekbone for sculpting. To start, place three fingers along the side of your mouth to cover your apples which tells you where the color should stop. Then swirl an angled blush brush into your peachy blush and apply starting near your ear and sweep it forward just until your apples. You'll notice most of the color is concentrated away from the apples and closer to the hairline. The effect lifts the face and highlights your facial structure. It even makes your eyes pop. I also love to take whatever is left on the brush and sweep it across my nose and chin to balance out the color. Take it from professional and invest in quality brushes to get the best application.  Brides and clients often ask me how to take care of their skin for the best makeup application since I'm pretty obsessed with skincare. It's also a blessing since I work as a professional makeup artist and have worked with women of all ages and skin types so I really understand how the skin performs.
In my experience working with Seattle clients, the best way to achieve a smooth makeup finish is to moisturize and exfoliate regularly. If you have a wedding to get ready for or just want to look your everyday best, these tips are for you. Tip: Bring on the Moisturizer Winter air can be drying as anyone living in Seattle already knows. Indoor heating, a low humidity climate and cold winds can zap the moisture from our skin very quickly. Lucky for us there are many ways to hydrate and moisturize our skin. Tip: Make sure to moisturize your skin every day. Even if you have combination or oily skin, our skin needs key lipids to stay soft and supple. Lipids keep the skins moisture barrier intact much like a safety net. If you skip this step your skin will actually overcompensate and produce more oil. No one wants that! Think of moisturizing as balancing your skin with what it needs. Hydrated skin means foundation applies evenly and won't show uneven patches of flaky, dry skin. If you use a powder foundation you can't skip this step since powder sits on the skin differently than liquid and accentuates skin texture. Tip: Choose a day and night cream that are designed for your skin type. Normal/ combination skins can use a lotion during the day while normal/dry skin types benefit from a lotion for day and a night cream. Look for ingredients such as sodium hyaluronate which binds moisture to the skin and sodium PCA which is a skin-replenishing ingredient and hydrates nicely. Glycerin and squalane are moisture binding agents so check the label for these skin soothers. Face oils are another great option to supercharge your skin's moisture level. Be sure to choose one that has argan, avocado or sunflower oil. If your skin is hydrated your foundation will have a silky feel and perform the way it is meant to. If you give your skin the right moisture to drink in, it won't drink in your makeup. Favorites Shiseido Advanced Bio Performance Cream is my all time favorite night cream. It hydrates without being greasy, soaks right in and has anti-aging benefits as well. Clinique's Moisture Surge is another one I keep in rotation. It's formulated for ALL skin types and is a lightweight cream-gel that provides up to 24 hours of soothing hydration. Sometimes I layer this on top of my night cream for added moisture if I'm particularly dry. If you love pure ingredients then try BeautyCounter's Nourishing Day Cream. It absorbs quickly and the unscented formula contains a mix of organic coconut oil, safflower oil, and aloe to provide nourishing hydration, plus antioxidant-rich acai to protect against dry skin. Exfoliate Like A Pro Exfoliating regularly is a must for a flawless face. As we age the skin turnover process slows down which means skin can look dull and uneven and even flaky. Exfoliating means removing old, dead skin cells. Exfoliate regularly and your makeup will go on smoothly and you'll avoid an uneven bumpy texture on your tzone and cheeks. When you buff off all that dead skin on the surface, you expose the new and radiant skin underneath. You can use a scrub but an exfoliating mask with alphahydroxy acids is often gentler and more effective to brighten and even skin tone. Alphahydroxy acids like fruit acids and glycolic acid are best because they penetrate skin and help to exfoliate, or ‘unglue’ dead skin cells that sit on the skin’s uppermost surface, leaving newer and healthier skin cells to show through. Our skin's natural pH is about a 7 on a scale of 1-14 which means it benefits from fruit acids to break down dry, flaky skin on the surface. So to summarize, a fruit acid mask is the most effective but if you love a scrub, use it gently on the t-zone only. Tip: Use an exfoliating mask at least twice a week at night after cleansing your skin of makeup. Most masks rinse off easily and are pretty quick to use taking about 10 minutes. Tip: Be consistent. Your skin will improve with regular use because you are polishing your skin for a smoother skin texture. Tip: Apply your evening skincare after the mask. It will penetrate better into refreshed skin. Favorites The Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask smells amazing and is gentle enough to use 2-3 times a week. I'm obsessed with it. It is ideal for sensitive skin. Pomegranate and Ginkgo Biloba extracts fight free radicals and inflammation. Your skin will glow after just one use. Ren makes another great mask that exfoliates: the Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. An instant complexion-perfecting mask that brightens and renews skin tone and texture, minimizes pores and diminishes hyperpigmentation. This one is a bit stronger and formulated for combination and oily skin. It works well on post-acne scarring, blemishes, blackheads, and sun-damaged skin.  Friends and clients often ask me what I use in my skincare routine to get glowing skin. I'm meticulous with my skincare routine and if I have to choose just one thing that I can see an immediate difference, it is Vitamin C. My skin changed for the better once I started using it a year ago.
If you want great skin everyday or in preparation for your wedding, incorporate Vitamin C into your skincare routine. Why Vitamin C? Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an antioxidant powerhouse. It's a must for fighting free radicals (pollution, dirt and smog) that can age our skin. Vitamin C neutralizes free radicals and photo aging from the sun to prevent skin cell damage. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C and its role in collagen synthesis make vitamin C a vital molecule for skin health. Vitamin C is also proven to brighten and even skin tone. For these reasons it is my holy grail product. I can tell an immediate difference in my skin after just a couple days. Usage: I recommend using a Vitamin C serum layered under your daytime cream with a sunscreen. It has been shown to increase the efficiency of sunscreen protection as well. You can also use it under your night cream and before any other serums or face oil at night. Favorites: My favorites are Skinceuticals CE Ferulic serum and Obagi Professional C 15%. The texture of both serums is lightweight enough to absorb quickly and are perfect for all skin types. Drunk Elephant also makes a lovely Vitamin C day serum packed with a powerful antioxidant complex, essential nutrients, fruit enzymes, and an antiaging chronopeptide to visibly firm, brighten, and diminish the appearance of photo aging (sun-damage). |
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Service Areas
Seattle, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Bothell, Mukilteo, Everett, Snohomish, Woodinville, Kirkland
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Phone
206-769-3853
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aauer59@gmail.com
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Alicia Auer Beauty provides professional makeup services on location for weddings, engagements, photo shoots, homecoming,and all special events in the Seattle area. All image makeup by Alicia.
Copyright Alicia Auer Beauty 2016. All Rights Reserved.