Lipstick In Rio!

Do you remember that huge sports event that ended a week ago?  We saw the live action, the replays, and pictures of the hard working athletes, making their wins look easy, as they caught that gold, silver, and bronze!  Until the next 4 years past, let us not forget. You know what else we can’t forget; that lipstick game! Did you notice Track and Field Star Elaine from Jamaica and Gymnastic Artist Gabrielle Aka Gabby? (Of course you did!) Both of these ladies donned rich, dark matte lip color, which I thought was perfect. With dark lip color, you don’t need much else on your face.

 If you have never worn any shade of dark lipstick, it may take a minute to get used to. To get the right dark shade for your skin tone, go to a makeup counter. This way you can test the color, rather than going to Walgreens and holding the lipstick tube up to your arm to see if the color “matches”!  (Once you know what shades match your skin tone, then you can call Walgreens and tell them you are on the way!) The wrong dark shade can age you or make you look like a ghost. The right shade can be beautiful and dramatic or less dramatic. Either way, the lip color says enough.
For any heavy lip color, sometimes it's easier to apply with a lipstick brush if you don't have a steady hand. But if you are like me, you apply lipstick from the tube at random: check out lines, at a red light, walking to the car, etc.! However, with dark lipstick, I will suggest you look into a mirror and apply slowly to avoid giving yourself an extra lip line or crooked lips. When you do have the extra time, use a lip liner and then fill the color in with a lipstick brush. Check out my pictures and captions below where I’ve used Black Cherry 477 by Revlon. By the way, this color has great lasting power throughout the day, especially when you apply it over chap-stick. Please share your makeup tips with us!

Here I am in Black Cherry w/ no foundation, no mascara, no blush. I applied the color as heavy as I possibly could without covering the complete bottom half of my face!

Here is a much more polished look; still heavily applied lip color with foundation, mascara, & black liner on my top lid.

Here is the color up close and personal; no chaser.

This shows Back Cherry with pink gloss I applied over it. That's a technique you can use to soften the dark shade. 

Take Care of Yourself! Again!

Again Tamu?! You may be asking me through your phone, tablet, or laptop screen. So real quick, I’ll answer. Yes!  Again! This whole relaxing idea is about giving your mind and body a chance to recharge. In previous posts, we’ve talked about recharging through good old fashioned sleep and just sitting and relaxing without having to think too hard about anything. Another way to recharge is surrounding yourself with the people you love. Being around my family and friends gives me the chance to listen to what they are facing in their daily lives and to give them all of my attention. This time also gives me a chance to escape what’s going on in my own world. For me, talking to and being around my family and friends reminds me of my “Whys”: why I work the way I do, why I’m building a business, why I can’t quit. Consider that showing love to and being loved by the people in your life is a total recharge.

Take Care of Yourself Part 3,450

I’m still on my “rest”, “sleep”, “take a break”, “take care of yourself” kick! Sometimes this involves surrounding yourself with something or some things that help you relax. Just to name a few, it could be a book, a song, pictures, candles, or aromatherapy. Putting on perfume is a part of my daily getting-dressed routine. My favorite fragrance is Guilty by Gucci, but I can still get lost in Bath and Body Works. I reach for those soft fragrances like A Thousand Wishes; my BBW fav. There’s something light and cozy about this one so I layer up with the shower gel, fragrance mist, and lotion. After doing that, throw on some soft sweats, light a candle, turn on some jazz or just read a book; That is my version of aromatherapy.  Moral of this story: Taking care of yourself and resting doesn’t have to be a dramatic event, (unless you want it to be!), it can be really simple…like…Bath and Body Works simple.    What are you doing to take care of yourself today?