If you want your make up to look it's best, you have to start with your skin care routine. Do you take time every day to cleanse, tone and moisturize? This is so important. I'm going to give you a step by step skin care regimine for your age.

Skin Care

Lets start with the middle age skin care. This is my age group, much as I hate to admit it. Your skin care should consist of the following.

1. Using a cream cleanser once per day, preferably in the evening to take off any make up and dirt that gets on your skin just from the air.

2. Our skin needs a bit of extra moisture, so instead of using a toner which has a lot of alcohol, try one that adds a touch of moisture, while toning some. The one I use and recommend has no alcohol so it won't dry your skin out.

3. Last and most importantly, use a moisturizer designed for your skin age. Some just don't deliver enough. If you want a moisturizer customized just for you, contact me and I will send you information on what I use and recommend in my salon.

If you are quite dry, add some more moisture in the morning before your make up. You may notice that I only recommend washing your face once per day. I think that beauty companies that say you need to do all of the above steps twice per day are only trying to sell more products. It is not necessary. Once per day and you will have beautiful skin in a couple of weeks to a month. Just stick with it.

Some people, when starting a new cleansing system will have a break out. When this happens and it probably will, just try to remember that you are doing something different to your skin and it need time to adjust. Don't give up. This is usually temporary and should clear up in a couple of weeks. This is usually not an allergic reaction, just an adjustment time. If it does not clear up within 4 weeks, you may be allergic and should discontinue use.

Now, lets talk about young skin. You probably are able to use just about anything on your skin. Don't forget, what you do now will effect your skin for many years to come. Do you tan? Do you wash with soap? Do you drink 8 glasses of water every day? Do you use sunscreen or a hat while in the sun?

I remember as a young person laying in the sun for hours. I would get a beautiful tan. When I turned 25 I thought I saw a wrinkle on my face. I decided then and there that I was not going to tan any longer and I was going to invest in high quality skin care products. I don't know if it shows in my picture, but for a forty something I have very few wrinkles. I believe that a combination of things has contributed.I drink a lot of water. I don't smoke. I don't tan. I use sunscreen and a hat while gardening. I use high quality skin care products. I think the trick for me has been that I started doing all of this 15 years ago and now it is paying off. So, for you 20 somethings, take my advice and start now taking care of your skin. Fifteen years from now, you will be thanking me.

1. Wash once per day, recommended at night to take make up off.

2. Moisturize with one designed for your skin type. If you are oily, do this once per day. If dry, twice.

Make Up Application Tips

So, there you have my recommendation for skin care. Now we can talk about make up applications.Lets start with foundation. Do you use it? Do you need it? There are so many different ones out there. My recommendation is that less is better. If you use a liquid foundation, it can appear heavy and caked on. If you must use one, try applying it with a wet sponge. This will make it spread thinner and blend much easier.

Sometimes you can just apply a mineral powder as your foundation. This is nice and transparent so looks completely natural. There are mineral foundation powders available now that can be matched perfectly to your skin tone. If you use regular foundation, apply a light dusting of mineral powder over it all over. This makes the foundation appear more shear.

Now that you have a smooth, flawless canvas to work with, lets start applying some color. Just remember to keep it soft. What color eyes do you have? For a soft day look, I usually recommend using mascara and eye shadow only. Leave the liner for an evening look. Mascara is usually best in brown for light colored eyes such as blue, hazel and light brown. If you have dark eyes, usually brown, use a black mascara. Apply one coat and allow to dry. Apply a second coat and allow this to dry as well before putting on eye shadow so as not to smuge. Eye shadow should complement your eye color and skin tone. I do not recommend blue shadow very often unless it is very light or leans toward a brownish blue. I think the best eye shadows are the ones that follow nature. Colors such as you would find in neutrals. You can't go wrong using neutrals. This keeps the color guessing down. If you want more help in this area, contact me. Contact information is at the bottom of this page.

Next comes blush. Go easy. Don't go to heavy. Starting around the cheek bone area, using upward sweeping movements, apply blush upward toward your ear in a smile motion. This is the correct way to apply blush. I have found that I also like to apply it in a more natural way, like as if you have been in the sun and now have sun kissed cheeks. Dip your blush brush into your blush. Starting at your cheek bone, start dabbing up a little toward your ear but not all the way. Come back and go right over your nose and do the other side thesame way. Just keep going back and forth this way until you achieve the amout of color you want. This gives a just in from the sun look.

Last but not least, lips. I have a couple of different suggestions. Want a burst of color, try one of the mood lip sticks. They give a bold touch of color and an amazing positive, they stay on. For a softer look, try a tinted gloss, or use the mood lip color and put a softer shade over it. This way, even if you wear off the over color, you will still have the other. So, you are never without lip color. Most regular lipstick comes off so easily, so this may be helpful for you.

I hope these tips have been helpful. If I can be of further assistance, please contact me by using my toll free voice mail. 1-800-363-4918 I will return your call as soon as I can. Let me know the best time to reach you an in which time zone you are.