Gone are the days when women stuck to one color blusher usually pinks or peaches. Now days, blushers come in a whole new variety of colors and different formulations. There are vast array of clever new formulas. The main choices are traditional powder, a cream texture, a modern liquid or a gel finish. So there is certainly one out there to suit your skin type.

Powder blush is the easiest to use. If you prefer this type, choose one that isn’t too sparkly or it’ll enhance your wrinkles. Shimmery blushers are far kinder to mature skin as they diffuse fine lines, making the delicate skin around your cheeks look younger. And as your skin feels drier as you get older, you could also try moisturizing cream formula that gives a flattering sheen to your skin.

All Skin Types
Right type: LIQUID CHEEK STAINS
Reason: They’re excellent for all skin types and face shapes, as you can use a little to achieve a natural flush of color, or layer to build up the shading to an intense hue that will last all through the day.
How to apply: They work best on bare cheeks and need to be applied quickly to avoid mistakes. Apply powder blusher over cheek stains for ultimate staying powder.

Dry or Combination Skin
Right type: CREAM
Reason: Cream blusher is the best if you have dry to combination skin as there’s no powder to sit on your dry patches. Also, the texture helps your skin maintain a natural , luminous glow.
How to apply: It’s easy to apply on bare skin or over foundation. If you have a round face don’t shade apples of your cheek instead apply it on your cheekbones, slanting towards your temples.

Oily Skin
Right type: POWDER
Reason: It’s classic, and perfect for achieving dense color coverage. It’s the best texture for contouring your cheekbones, and is ideal for oily skin as it lies well on your skin’s surface and reduces shine.
How to apply: Sweep on to your cheeks in a croissant shape for a natural - looking flush.

Mature Skin
Right type: GEL OR MOUSSE
Reason: Mousse and gel formulas are great for mature skins and if you want a subtle result. They can be worn alone on bare skin or layered over foundation, before powder, and are less fiddy to use than liquid stains. All mousse formulas offer pretty velvety finish and are really smooth to apply.
How to apply: When putting on gel or mousse blusher, tap it gently on to your cheeks and blend upwards and outwards with your fingertips. But don’t apply it on top of your make- up as you will not be able to blend it.

Many people avoid artificial colours in their foods, but don’t check out the colours in cosmetics and personal care products. It is only in recent years that cosmetics have started to carry a full list of ingredients on their packaging.

Making sense of the ingredients can be difficult for the lay person. This is particularly true for colourings, which often go under the guise of numbers rather than names.

In many countries colours in cosmetics are listed as colour index numbers. C.I. numbers are allocated by the Society of Dyers and Colourists. The scheme covers colours used in food, personal care products, cosmetics, household products and fabric dyeing. So, for example you will not normally see ‘tartrazine’ listed in your lipstick ingredients, but it may be there listed as C.I. 19140. Erythrosine will be listed as C.I. 45430, and so on.

The USA uses a different system: the FD & C colors have been categorised by the American Food & Drink Administration for use in foods, drugs and cosmetics. So in this system tartrazine is FD & C yellow 5, and amaranth is FD & C red 2.

The ‘E Number’ system is used by the European Community (EC). This is a system of giving code numbers to food additives, some of which are also used in cosmetics and personal care products. This system is also used in some other countries but without the E prefix, so E102 becomes simply colour ‘102’.

All this confusion for the average consumer would not be important, but for the fact that some of these colours are known to cause problems in susceptible individuals. For example, tartrazine (also known as FD & C Yellow 5, CI 1914 and EI02) can cause migraines, itching, rhinitis and agitation in susceptible individuals. Many individuals avoid its use in food, but do not realise how extensively it is used in cosmetics, such as lipstick, and personal care products.

The big worries in terms of colours in cosmetics and personal care products are lipstick, coloured lip balms, lip gloss and lip pencils, because anyone who uses these regularly ‘eats’ a fair quantity over their life time, but these colours also appear in skin cream, foundation, mascara and so on too. (Remember also that these colours can also be in ‘natural’ cosmetics and skin care products.)

Another worry is that even the ‘experts’ cannot agree on an international ’safe’ list of colours, so that a colour may be allowed in one country, but banned elsewhere. For example, quinoline yellow is allowed within the European Community and in some other countries, but is banned in Japan, Norway and the United States.

As ever, the advice is: keep yourself informed and read the label. Here is a list of the different names and numbers that common colourings go under:

Tartrazine: E102 or FD & C Yellow 5 or C.I. 19140
Quinoline yellow or E104 or C.I. 47005
Sunset yellow or E110 or FD & C Yellow 6 or C.I. 15985
Amaranth or E123 or FD & C Red 2 or C.I. 16185
Ponceau 4R or E124 or C.I. 16255
Erythrosine or E127 or FD & C Red 3 or C.I. 45430
Red 2G or E128 or C.I. 18050
Allura red AC or E129 or FD & C Red 40 or C.I. 16035
Patent blue V or E131 or C.I. 42051
Indigo carmine or E132 or FD & C Blue 2 or C.I. 73015
Brilliant blue FCF or FD & C Blue 1 or C.I. 42090
Fast green FCF or FD & C Green 3 or C.I. 42053
Green S or E142 or C.I. 44090

Want that healthy, tanned look without that elusive Spanish holiday? Use cosmetics! For cosmetics is the easiest way to enhance your image. Image is what the cosmetic industry sells through its products. And although it’s up to you to believe it or not, I’m sure you won’t complain. Definitely not when you can get “that look” without being much the poorer for it.

There are cosmetics for almost every need.

There are cosmetics for almost every need. Foundations, lipsticks, hair dyes, hair straighteners, hair sprays, skin conditioners, contact lenses, sunscreens, tanning products, glosses, shadows and what have you….. The list is seemingly endless. Branded cosmetics abound! Choose between MAC cosmetics or Mary Kay cosmetics if you will. And if you can’t afford it – well, there’s always discount cosmetics which give you famous brands at a fraction of their price! Don’t be shy either, many top stores will offer you free cosmetic samples too. So despair not! Get rid of that patch of graying hair, mask that niggling pimple, and banish the ugliness of your nose albeit temporarily with some prudently used cosmetics. Do take care, of course, to check out the contents. Certain cosmetic additives are harmful for the skin. Don’t use so called “cosmeceuticals” unless their content, medicinal benefits and safety is verified. Having done that, go right ahead and indulge. And, if a lipstick is all that’s between you and that Marilyn Monroe look, go, get it!

The days of bright blue eye shadow and slathered on blush are gone with the wind! If you are in desperate need of a make up freshen up, consider these hot trends in cosmetics. These latest colors, tips, and techniques are just what anyone needs to update a look or make the change into a new season. Remember that your cosmetics do have an expiration date, so keep this in mind when shopping for new make up. With each season, carefully look through your make up kit and discard any items that are outdated. This is critical, especially with eye make up that can expire and potentially cause painful infections. Also, remember not to share your make up with anyone else to prevent spread of germs and infection.

Today’s latest trends in cosmetics reflect the fashion trends-shimmer and shine! From super glossy lip gloss to candy like eye make up with glitter to make your eyes truly pop. This trend only applies to eyes, lips, and nails, however, since cream and matte finishes is hot for foundations, powders, and blush. In addition to shimmer and shine, the color of eye and lip make up is quite subtle. Gone are the vibrant colors and eye popping shades of eye shadow. Instead, pale browns, ivories, grays, tans, and other natural colors are all the rage. Lip shades are also a bit more subdued, with a nude lip or a sheer pink gloss being incredibly hot.

Lipstick is out today, with lip gloss taking over the first place in purses all over the country. These lip glosses are made in every color under the sun and many mimic the appearance of lipstick with a much smoother and glossier look. For individuals looking to care for their lips and enjoy that terrific nude lip look, consider using a simple hydrating stick. The all natural brand, Bert’s Bees, produces a phenomenal product that can be applied under a gloss or used by itself.

The days of pressed powder may be numbered; as today’s hot products include cream powders that go on thick but dries sheer and ultra light. This option is great for individuals who would like a bit more coverage than pressed powder offers, but do not want to deal with the mess and hassle of using foundation. Another popular trend along this line is the cream blush, which also goes on like a cream but dries a powder. Also, cream blushes prevent that unnatural coloring that appears on many women’s cheeks.

Cosmetics and beauty articles coming soon. Be sure to check back and bookmark this category. Did you check out the rss feeds?