Salaam Everyone! I had a couple of requests recently to give more information on how to create the perfect eyebrow, so I decided to make a video! We as artists are very visual, right? Well, enjoy this video and remember that there are many different techniques, but this is one that I use on almost everyone. A couple of tips for people with lighter hair are to use MAC Charcoal Brown Eyeshadow for brunettes and for blondes try MAC Omega Eyeshadow. You are one step closer to some fierce brows!

So I am a busy bee normally runnning from one place to the next, enjoying my day and going from one makeup lesson to having a bride to my home for their Bridal Consultation. I am normally too absorbed in what I am doing to take a quick peak in the mirror and always find the same mess! Oily skin. I know I am always speaking of my oily skin, but it is truly out of control! Normally before I begin an appointment with a client I will blot and powder and try to degrease in any way that I can, but it is during the middle to end of the consultation when I have turned into a complete oil spill! I will be speaking to a client with such confidence and I am sure they are thinking "I hope she doesn’t make my skin look like hers!", or "I wonder if she knows her skin is so shiny?". I don’t know? I have decided to really try to combat this oily skin and try a couple different products. It is one thing to try a product on one of my clients, but I do like to be a guinea pig so I know what I recommending.

 I recently did a photo shoot because I need more pictures of myself for my websites (www.make-upenvy.com and www.askamakeupguru.com). The weather in Denver, CO USA was almost 100 degrees and I am pregnant so it felt more like 120 degrees!  We choose an alley believe it or not behind some houses and found so many unique backgrounds. I was changing from one long sleeved tunic to the next and sometimes wearing a hijab (scarf). I tried a new product before I left the house to see how it would work in such heat, Chanel T-Mat Shine Control. I used it after an oil free moisturzer and hoped for the best! I ended up loving this product! My skin was not excessively oily even hours into the shoot and I didn’t even use my MAC Blot Powder.

So here are a couple tips to keep your skin shine free!

1. Try a cleanser with either Salicylic Acid or Glycolic Acid to really combat the oil. Use day and night.

2. Do use a toner, but not one that will strip your skin using a lot of alcohol.

3. Eventhough your skin is oily you still need to moisturize, so use a lightweight oil free moisturizer during the day and something a little more moisturizing at night. Sometimes your skin will over compensate for lack of oil by producing more oil!

4. Use an oil free foundation. I use a powder foundation, but there are plently of great matte liquid formulas out there.

5. During the day before you powder make sure to use a blotting sheet to remove the excess oil from the skin and not add a "cakey" look by placing powder over the oil on the skin. I love Palladio Rice Paper Blotting Sheets!

6. Use an ultra sheer powder that is meant for touching up throughout the day. A foundation powder is much too heavy, so I like MAC Blot Powder, Chanel Shine Control Powder SPF 15 and Cargo Liquid Powder.

Now every woman may not need all of this maintenance throughout the day, but for those who have extremely oily skin or live in humid climates then oily or shiny skin can be a big concern! For a woman who experiences oiliness just in her t-zone area then a simple blotting paper or a sheer powder might work for you. Stay cool this summer and shine free!

 I love to chat! Click on comments below and chat with me while you’re here . I would love to hear your feedback and input. I’m listening. Have a makeup or bridal question go ahead an email me at danica@askamakeupguru.com .

I thought some of my blog subscribers might like to hear some makeup tips from another makeup artist other than myself, so I found this article in Vogue India and Ruhi gives some great makeup tips for the everyday women! Enjoy!

Make-up artist Ruhi Bindra is the woman behind the ‘Chak De India’ girls.  Her portfolio includes television campaigns like BPL Mots, Nestle, Polo, Samsung, Mother Dairy, Hutch and Santro. Here, she speaks to Vogue.in on make-up for the workplace, working the red carpet and braving the monsoons!

On waterproof make-up

To ensure that your make-up lasts during the rainy season, use waterproof make-up. After applying the base evenly, spray your face with MAC make-up fixer.

On make-up for the workplace

For a corporate workplace, one should ideally use a water-based matte foundation and powder; matte peach, pink or nude brown shadow; waterproof eye liner or smudge-proof kaajal topped with waterproof mascara; matte rose pink or peach blush; and a peach, light chocolate or soft pink long-lasting lip colour.

On make-up for day

Use a light fluid base under loose powder; pink cream shadow teamed with aqua eyeliner; one coat of voluminous mascara; desert rose blush on the apple of your cheeks; and MAC’s pink lipglass to complete the understated look.

On make-up for the red carpet

Use a shimmery liquid base topped with shimmery loose powder; a grey and silver shimmery cream- shadow for a smoky look; nude cream highlighter; grey liquid liner, voluminous mascara; bronze cream blush; and a red shimmer lip stain topped with red gloss.

 I Love to chat! Click on comments below and chat with me while you are here!  I would love to hear your feedback,  and input.  I’m listening. Have a makeup  or bridal question go ahead an email me at danica@askamakeupguru.com .