Archive for the ‘Cheeks’ Category
When you change your hair color (a la the newly-brunettes Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie) do you change your makeup, too? I find that it’s a terrific opportunity to experiment with lip, cheek and eye-shadow colors. (Your foundation, which needs to match your skin tone, should always stay a constant!!) Anyway, here’s my rule of thumb, which I learned from a makeup artist-friend: If you’re taking your hair in a brighter direction – strawberry blonde, coppery red or rich chestnut – a shift to softer, neutral shades on your eyes and lips can look amazing. (I love our bestselling Motives Lip Shine in Candlelight, $10.50.) Alternately, if you’re going blonder or darker, you can get away with bolder, more dramatic hues: red lips or a lush smoky eye.
I always take my hair a little darker in the winter. Am I wrong for feeling like, even in Miami, we should have a change of seasons, too?
Love,
Loren
One of my lovely readers Marie emailed me a request on how to get the glam look Kara Dioguardi has been sporting on this new season of American Idol (who else is a fan?? such a guilty pleasure!). I’ve made it super easy and outlined the steps with the best Motives products for the job!
Start with Motives Eye Base to prime lids and keep the color true – very important so that all of your effort will last! Next, add Sex and the City shadow to inner corners and lower lash line (for shimmer) and Fantasy eyeshadow to the outer corners of of your lids – blending upward into crease and slightly into the Sex and the City shadow in corner eyelids. You should then add Purple Haze, also to the outer corners, using light, circular motion and blending into crease.
In order to highlight your brow bone dust on Pearl shadow, and to add even more drama lid your lids and smudge with Kohl Eyeliner in Onyx. Finish your eyes by curling lashes and applying 2 coats of Lustrafy mascara!
You’ll also need a flawless glow to complete Kara’s look… use Pretty in Pink for fresh cheeks and Pink Sand for the perfect, creamy lipstick!
Please send your Steal This Look requests to me at loren@myfashioncents.com!
Lots of love,
Loren
PS: Kara’s purple shirt and purple eyeshadows really play off eachother. Definitely find a purple blouse to bring the entire look together!
I love a touch of bright blush in winter – that instant glow makes everyone look healthy and fresh. The secret to giving powder blush extra staying power and keeping the color true? First, dust a tiny bit of translucent powder on your cheeks to form a base. Next, run a big, soft, slightly angled brush over the pressed blush, tap off the excess, and swirl the color onto the apples of your cheeks. (To find the apples, just smile – it’s the plumpest part.)
Motives Cheek Contour Brush $10.95
And if you’re feeling adventurous, the angle on this brush is perfect for contouring. Just remember, don’t get too close to the nose or temples – sure signs of a blush overload!
Love,
Loren
Motives Holiday Gift Set, featuring a palette that can help create a full range of holiday looks. Just $49.95 at motivescosmetics.com!
For me, the trick to gorgeous party makeup that lasts is keeping it sheer and light. Rule #1: Apply your makeup in thin layers — I like to use as little foundation as possible and rely on strategically placed concealer instead. Unless you’re very oily, skip powder and use blotting papers. A tiny pack should fit easily in your evening bag. Rule #2: Apply your makeup with brushes. That’s a trick I learned from Cindy Crawford: It makes you look much more polished. Rule #3: If you go for a rich red lip color, you’ll have to commit to touchups throughout the night. A smoky eye is lower-maintenance, and often just as pretty. Rule #4: As a finishing touch, add some shimmer to your cheekbones, brow-bones and just above the cupid’s bow of your lips. That little touch somehow brings everything to life.
Here are my favorite holiday makeup variations:
1. Red lips + light eye (very fresh and innocent)
2. Smoky eye + light, pinkish beige mouth (sophisticated)
3. Smoky eye + rich, wine-tinted lips (a dramatic European look)
4. Bats-wing black eye liner + pale lips + strong eyebrows (a cool, 60s feel)
5. Pale gold eyeshadow + thin black liner + apricot blush + clear lip gloss (enhances the golden tones in your skin)
Which is your favorite look?
At the London premiere of her new film Nine, Kate Hudson proved that low-key glamour still rules the red carpet. Her fresh-faced glow needed nothing more than a dewy-bronzed cheek to look absolutely stunning. And the best news of all: duplicating this look at home couldn’t be simpler.
1. Start with a rich moisturizer, like Cellular Laboratories De-Aging Day Crème, which automatically gives your skin a healthy glow. Be sure to choose an oil-free brand that won’t leave your skin looking greasy after a few hours.
Cellular Laboratories De-Aging Day Crème, $65 at Motives
2. Then apply a very thin layer of Motives Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation—being extra careful to blend in completely along your jaw line. For a barely-there effect, I sometimes mix a dime-sized dab of my foundation with a dime-sized dab of my moisturizer and then apply. 
Motives Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation, $4.95 at Motives
3. The best thing I’ve found to get Kate Hudson’s glistening cheek is actually a product for your eyes! Using a makeup wedge, dot Motives Luxe Crème Eyeshadow in Brown Sugar above and below your cheekbone. You want the effect to be big, but not clownish, so pat away from your face towards your hairline in gentle circles until you have an even, blended effect. 
Motives Luxe Crème Eyeshadow in Brown Sugar, $15.75 at Motives
And, voila! you’re ready for your very own red carpet… or maybe just a nice dinner with your significant other.
Lots of love,
Loren
Believe it or not, I really think highlighter can make a look. Even if your makeup is perfect, a touch of shimmer creates a pretty glow that brings everything to life. Just remember to apply it with a soft brush (to keep the effect subtle) in a few key spots: along your cheek and brow bones and in the inner corners of your eyes. My favorite highlighting powder is Motives Paint Pot Mineral Eyeshadow in Allure. Just a hint of this and bingo – instant candlelight!
Which shade do you like to use?
Lots of love,
Loren
Actresses Jessica Stam and Jessica Szohr are cool city girls — here they are at Rag & Bone’s spring runway show, demonstrating a modern makeup reality: The look of gorgeous, glowing skin is so much more flattering than an obviously made-up effect. To achieve this kind of glowing perfection, start with clean, moisturized skin. Apply a bit of a creamy concealer (like Motives® by Loren Ridinger Creme Concealer) just where you need it, and then smooth some tinted moisturizer over the top. Finally, swirl a touch of rosy blush (like Motives® by Loren Ridinger Pressed Blush in Pretty in Pink) onto your cheeks. When your skin looks this good, any other makeup you put on will just be gravy.
Photo courtesy of Style.com
Love,
Loren
