Aging is an inescapable part of life that everyone must come to accept, eventually. In addition to bringing on legitimate stress over things like bone density, blood pressure and dietary fiber as the years pass, the utterly unflappable progression of Father Time is guaranteed to produce many interesting and peculiar changes of an aesthetic variety, too.

Again, this is something that happens to everybody, and there’s no shame in it. There is no shame in growing older! (I don’t care what anyone says, it’s something to be celebrated.) Of course, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look your best, either – regardless of age. The desire to maintain a healthy, glowing complexion is a common one.

As you probably already know, there are harsh methods in existence that can be used to superficially thwart the natural process of aging, making you appear slightly to significantly younger than your actual age. It’s true, yes, but you have to ask yourself how far you are really willing to go in order to preserve a curiously (often creepily) youthful facade, and for how long.

Are you comfortable with the risk – however small – of accidental disfigurement? Are you comfortable with a team of doctors slicing and dicing your face like the chef at a teppanyaki restaurant going to town on a fancy cut of beef? Understandably, many people find the prospect of extreme measures such as Botox and cosmetic surgery to be nothing short of horrifying.

Thankfully, it’s entirely possible to lessen the appearance of existing wrinkles and greatly impede the formation of new wrinkles without paying exorbitant amounts of money to undergo painful procedures which, in the end, may only provide temporary results. Believe it or not, there are actually a number of very effective ways to prevent wrinkles in your 20′s, 30′s, 40′s and beyond which don’t involve any sharp instruments or massive costs.

Know Your Enemy

(1) First and foremost, be unflinchingly responsible in regard to sun exposure. Not only does the damage from ultraviolet rays prematurely age your skin, but excessive sun exposure can also lead to skin cancer – and the lighter your complexion, the higher your risk of both. Yikes! Be sure to wear a quality sunscreen whenever you spend time outdoors, not just in the middle of summer.

Substantially sized visors and large, floppy hats can stop the sun from shining on your face and decolletage as you engage in yard work, jogging and the like (if you were wondering how to prevent eye wrinkles or prevent chest wrinkles, specifically, then make a mental note of this tip – it’s an important one). To enjoy added defense against UVA and UVB rays whenever you should happen to apply makeup, buy foundation makeup and lip balm with built-in SPF goodness.

(2) What else? Don’t smoke! Put down that pack of cigarettes, my friend, once and for all. Smoking, like ultraviolet light, ages your skin prematurely. If the plethora of health concerns associated with this icky habit isn’t enough to turn you off (no holier-than-thou judgment here, by the way; I say all this as someone who currently smokes), then consider the cosmetic effects ranging from yellow teeth to deep, exaggerated wrinkles around the mouth area.

If you’re truly committed to lessening the appearance of lines and preventing cavernous creases from forming without the costly assistance of a plastic surgeon, quitting smoking is a must. Limit yourself to a couple of drags from the ol’ corn cob pipe on Christmas Eve, perhaps. Can’t fathom giving up that nicotine addiction completely? Try chewing nicotine gum instead of smoking tobacco, then gradually wean yourself off the gum. E-cigarettes are another viable alternative.

(3) Not surprisingly, routine consumption of hard drugs has been shown to prematurely age the body in a variety of ways as well, including but not limited to the visible deterioration of the skin’s overall health and vitality. Methamphetamine use, specifically, can literally rot the inside of a person’s mouth, causing the skin around their jawline and the rest of their face to become wrinkled and saggy as their thin, dry lips are inadvertently sucked inward – and it doesn’t necessarily take a super long time for that to happen, either. Just say no, man!

(4) Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to both premature and exaggerated symptoms of aging, so it is best to partake of spirits in moderation. Rather than partying five or six nights a week, cut it back to one or two; give your body a much-needed break. It’s not necessary to quit drinking altogether – in fact, when consumed in moderation, alcohol can actually have some positive effects on your health. However, the wisdom that “too much of a good thing” can be downright horrible is, obviously, extremely relevant in regard to booze.

(5) Do you frequently furrow your brow without realizing it? Do you tend to stay angry for several hours after a heated argument, scowling all the while? It’s common for creases to form, over time, in the areas where your skin is forced to stretch, move and fold repeatedly. While it would be a fairly ludicrous idea to avoid utilizing facial expressions altogether, it’s not the slightest bit unreasonable to try to eliminate needless stresses placed upon the delicate skin of your face.

The War On Wrinkles

In many ways, your skin reflects what’s going on inside your body, health wise. Imagine that Bob is in great shape while Tiffany happens to be suffering from a number of chronic ailments. It’s reasonable to assume that Bobby Boy’s face will remain supple and wrinkle-free for longer. The appearance of Tiffany’s skin is likely to suffer as a result of her illnesses. The better your general health and overall wellness, the better the condition of your skin. Makes sense, right?

(6) Thus, eating well is really important for a multitude of reasons. Think beyond the weight management aspects of a proper diet to the array of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your body needs to function optimally. If you are one of the millions who choose to fuel their bodies almost exclusively with fast food and bakery treats, you’re doing yourself a major disservice, and your skin will eventually betray that!

Fruits and vegetables make fantastic fuel – especially raw, since they tend to retain more nutrients that way – but fat definitely has its place as well. Diets too low in fat will deprive your body of essential fatty acids that are critical to a number of functions and processes in humans, including several that directly relate to the health of your skin.

Most people consume a tremendous amount of omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s in their daily lives. To counteract this imbalance, you can take fish oil supplements or make a point of eating quality foods that are rich in EFAs, such as: sardines, salmon, flax, walnuts, soy, etc. If there are, indeed, any “miracle” foods that prevent wrinkles or at least slow them down significantly, omega-3 superstars like the ones listed above are surely among them.

(7) Adequate hydration is absolutely necessary to keep your skin looking radiant and full of life, so you should be sure to drink plenty of water every day. The aging process gradually impedes the skin’s ability to retain moisture, making sufficient water intake even more relevant as the years pass. This is another tip that relates to your overall wellness in addition to the appearance of your skin, and it’s so easy that there’s no excuse to be a slacker – just do it!

(8) Have you ever wondered whether it could be worthwhile to exercise the muscles in your face? Well, you’re not the only one to recognize the potential benefits of such a practice. Actually, the concept of facial exercise is nothing new. Some historians believe Cleopatra – a renowned beauty, even to this day – utilized a regimen of facial exercises to ward off crow’s feet and sagging jowls (and that would’ve been all the way back in approximately 40 BC).

If you’re tempted to adopt a facial exercise regimen in order to prevent forehead wrinkles, eye wrinkles, saggy skin or whatever else, then I would wholeheartedly recommend starting with a YouTube search for instructional videos on the topic. Obviously, those videos are free to watch and implement, whereas search engine results for this subject are likely to include a mountain of allegedly exclusive exercise programs and face fitness routines bearing hefty price tags.

Congratulations! Reading this article has armed you with the knowledge necessary to take a stand against wrinkles and other symptoms of aging that are prone to unflatteringly altering your skin’s appearance. Remember this handful of relatively uncomplicated tips as you face the world each day, and try your hardest to adjust any destructive behaviors that are currently wreaking havoc on your precious, lovely face.

Before you click away to another site, be sure to visit my ultra-helpful handbook for repairing damaged hair. It is chock full of valuable tips and suggestions for restoring frazzled locks to a healthy, beautiful state. If that’s not your cup of tea, take a look at my rundown of the best glitter nail polish brands and techniques, or enjoy a loving tribute to the convenience of makeup remover wipes. As always, your comments and questions are more than welcome here. Thanks for stopping by cutie-pie.net.

For some women, incredibly bold eye shadows are just what the doctor ordered, while others find themselves leaning heavily toward the idea of natural looking eye makeup that simply serves to enhance their best features, rather than creating a funky focal point with intense hues that are obviously artificial.

If you fit into the latter group – even if it’s only temporarily, for the sake of a hot date on the beach or a Hawaiian-themed party of some sort – then you may be wondering how to go about beautifying your face without overdoing it and losing that “is she wearing makeup, or is she just naturally breathtaking?” appeal.

Well, my friend, the first step is to find an eye shadow primer that is either a matte nude or almost entirely transparent in terms of color. Opting for the former, you’ll want to match it to your skin tone as closely as possible. Apply the primer evenly and sparingly! As its name suggests, this product should merely be used to prime the area for the application of cosmetics, as opposed to depositing any significant amount of color there.

Yes, that’s always true of primer, but it matters a whole lot more when a very conservative amount of makeup is going be applied over it (which is certainly the case with natural eye makeup looks, if you’re going about things the right way) because it makes for far fewer – if any – opportunities to hide wonky coloring or other issues beneath dark pigments.

Steer clear of metallic or shimmery priming formulas, in addition to dazzling potions that are chock full of mesmerizing micro-glitter. Subtle sparkles can be added more effectively later on in the makeup application process, and you really don’t need to be dealing with several layers of competing shine when you’re trying to work within the parameters of a “less is more” scenario like the one we’re addressing here. Save yourself the hassle.

Tasteful Nudes

Both Smashbox and Urban Decay offer some excellent eyelid primers in plain, nude shades, as well as a couple of glimmering alternatives for those occasions when a natural eye makeup look is no concern of yours. If, despite your best efforts, you can’t seem to locate a formula that’s appropriately tinted to complement your complexion, then the mostly transparent primer option I mentioned before is probably going to be your best bet.

Eye shadow bases are a non-compulsory part of the eye makeup equation, regardless of whether you’re shooting for a bright and vivid color scheme or some unobtrusive neutrals – but they can prove to be awfully helpful in certain situations, there’s no denying that. Having trouble finding a fitting shade of primer to use? Don’t fret! I would highly recommend snagging one of MAC’s Paint Pots in the apropos hue. You’ll be good to go, sister.

Just apply a thin layer of the makeshift primer to your whole eye area, establishing a blank canvas that’s perfectly prepared to receive and firmly hold onto whichever pigments you desire. One of the following Paint Pot colors by MAC is bound to mirror your skin tone to an acceptable degree: Bare Study, Soft Ochre, Painterly, Rubenesque, Indianwood, Groundwork, Constructivist, Nubile or Quite Natural. (Remember, it doesn’t have to be an utterly flawless match. We’re simply aiming to find a base color that is barely detectable against your complexion.)

Once you’ve primed the area and you’re officially ready to rock and roll, you will need to select a trio or a foursome of mellow colors with which to adorn your twinkling peepers. What constitutes a “mellow” or subtle eye shadow color, you ask? Well, my dear, that depends upon the natural pigmentation of your skin.

For example: when in search of some pretty, natural eye makeup options to wear, an African American woman with a rich, chocolatey complexion would generally want to be looking through a totally different range of eye shadow colors than a naturally redheaded Caucasian gal with incredibly fair skin.

Obviously, what appears natural and unobtrusive on one person does not necessarily come out looking equally understated on another individual, so any natural eye makeup tutorial must be met with some level of personal experimentation and subsequent customization by the person hoping to copy it and wear it with chic aplomb.

You’ll want to thoroughly test out and try to objectively evaluate all of the eye shadows you own – as well as any new ones you might feel inclined to purchase with natural eye makeup application in mind – that seem as though they could be a good fit for the task at hand.

The idea here is to perform enough research and color experimentation to discover which shades can work most effectively to define and enhance your eyes without creating the harsh contrast that is so commonly seen with flashy, bold eye makeup looks. In this instance, rather than emphasizing a really bright, loud pop of pigment, we’re avoiding that scene altogether. Beware: if you should happen to reach for your favorite pan of neon pink shadow at any point during this tutorial, you’re officially crossing back over into “unnatural eye makeup” territory. Ha!

A Hint Of Hollywood Glam

Warm, muted, earthy colors are, almost universally, a great place to get started. Of course, the depth and intensity of the eye shadows ultimately selected is something that will – and certainly should – vary from person to person, as I was saying earlier. Clearly, the same shade of brown could end up looking quite different against a super pale skin tone versus, say, the coloring of a girl who loves to hit the tanning beds regularly.

Sample as many beige, sandy brown, chestnut, mossy green, vaguely maroon, gently bronzed, subtly golden shades of eye shadow as you can get your hands on; figure out what works best for your complexion. Too Faced, Coastal Scents, Avon and NYX all produce quality eye palettes that are specifically geared toward subtle, natural looking eye makeup. If your shadow collection is lacking nudes and brown shades, in particular, then it may be beneficial to purchase one of those babies in the near future.

Don’t stress about learning how to apply natural looking eye makeup. It’s really not a big deal, I promise! Sure, these muted colors may be applied more sparingly and perhaps with a lighter touch than eye makeup looks where subtlety is not a goal, however, typical eye shadow placement guidelines are still in effect. If you already know how to apply eye shadow effectively – dark, smokey or bold or whatever your usual style may be – congrats, you’re already halfway to the finish line.

If you are unfamiliar with standard eye shadow placement principles (or if you feel as though you could benefit from a bit of a refresher course), please feel free to visit my very detailed and in-depth guide to basic eye makeup application. While there is no official set of rules designating one method the correct and proper way to apply eye shadow, it certainly does help to understand why a darker color usually looks good here and a lighter color tends to look better there; it helps to understand the logic behind all of the most commonly utilized techniques.

After you have reached a decision regarding color scheme, the eye shadow application process can get underway. The lightest of the three or four shades that you selected should probably serve as your highlight color, which typically begins just below the eyebrow. Often, the darkest of the shadow colors chosen will be reserved for accenting the crease and the far reaches of the outer eyelid, while the hue that lies somewhere in between those two is destined to occupy the majority of the lid below the crease.

As always, blend with vigor and enthusiasm, and don’t stop until you’ve managed to achieve a smooth and seamless gradient effect where the various colors in your eye makeup scheme converge. It’s a super important and totally non-negotiable step – I mean it! Inadequate blending can undo a cute look in approximately two seconds, so it needs to be made a serious priority if you want to sidestep looking like a circus clown. Blend, baby! Blend, blend, blend!

The Icing On The Cake

How about a few natural eye makeup tips pertaining to the liner and mascara parts of the procedure? Sure thing, I’ve got you covered! First off, consider using medium to dark brown eyeliners and mascaras with your more subtle makeup looks instead of the pitch black shades. Deep browns can offer you the extra definition without such a sharp, unnatural contrast.

Line your eyes carefully with a conservative swoosh of liquid or pencil eyeliner, starting as close to the lash line as you possibly can – and make sure there’s no unsightly gap of exposed skin, however small. A simple, relaxed makeup scheme calls for a simple, relaxed approach to the liner application, too; this is not the optimal time to go ultra-thick with your lines. Less is more, in a natural looking eye makeup situation.

The eyelashes are another area where hasty, sloppy or overly aggressive application of cosmetic products can lead to a distinctly “made up” sort of appearance. If your lashes are all clumped together into five giant, scary, tentacle-esque things rather than existing as a plethora of individual hairs, the overall look is obviously not going to pass for pure, natural beauty.

Using your mascara wand, begin application at the base of the lashes and slowly, methodically work your way upward. Jiggling the wand ever so slightly as you pull it through your lashes – down at the base, especially – can help the wand to grip and coat a greater number of hairs, more evenly. Separate any clumped lashes with the assistance of an eyelash or eyebrow comb, or use another small tool that’s lying around, but take care to avoid poking yourself in the eye.

To finish off with a hint of sexy sparkle, use a liquid eyeliner that’s clear and full of tiny glitter pieces to trace over the brown liner you applied earlier. Don’t go nuts with it! Think “subtle glam.” If you feel like a pair of false eyelashes is an absolute must, be certain that you’re sporting the sort of falsies designed to closely simulate the real thing. There’s no point in working to create a blissfully natural makeup look if you’re going to spoil the mood of it afterward by slapping on a pair of false lashes that loudly, obnoxiously scream “showgirl.”

Once you get a couple of practice sessions under your belt, you should be able to whip up a wonderfully soft and sophisticated eye makeup look with ease, in just a matter of moments. Yay! If bright, fun colors occasionally tickle your fancy as well, be sure to take a peek at my Urban Decay eye shadow reviews before you leave. Please, don’t hesitate to submit any comments or questions that may be swirling around in your head, either – I’m always happy to have your input! Best of luck with everything. Keep it cute and classy.

If you enjoy wearing a moderate to heavy amount of makeup – in particular, eye makeup like shadow, liner and mascara – then there’s at least one inescapable annoyance that rears its ugly head at you on an almost-daily basis: the need to thoroughly clear all of the aforementioned junk from your face before jumping into bed and peacefully drifting off to Dreamland! Proper makeup removal is, unfortunately, a necessary evil.

Most makeup enthusiasts turn to a combination of facial cleanser or bar soap (ick, don’t use plain soap on your face – it’s so drying!) and a towel or wash cloth to remove the multitude of dark, oily liners and intense pigments from their faces, post-wear. In order to wash away the makeup successfully, a lot of rubbing and lathering must ensue. Frequently, soap gets into the eye area, causing a very unpleasant burning and stinging sensation.

Even still, stubborn eye makeup doesn’t typically rinse off clean. For ladies who like to wear more makeup than your average gal, the towel or cloth being used to supplement this ineffective makeup removal routine is liable to soak up a variety of ugly stains that probably won’t come out unless bleach (the kind that’s used on laundry, not the stuff that lightens your hair) is added into the mix.

When I was a teenager, my grandma always used to complain about my makeup leaving big, black marks on her towels that ended up being quite troublesome to remove later. Oops! (Sorry, grandma.) Sadly, I just didn’t know any better at that time. I had never heard of any simple, easy alternatives to the woefully inefficient face washing regimen I was dutifully following. Half-expecting to be stuck with that messy and time-consuming process until the end of my days, I resolved to be vigilant and keep my eyes appropriately peeled in the hope of finding a smarter solution.

Wiping The Slate Clean

Some years later, my wish was granted. While shopping for makeup online, I happened to stumble upon a page full of products offered by Biore (yes, the same company that makes those pore cleansing strips for safely and painlessly extracting nose blemishes, which I also use often and completely adore). In addition to purchasing a gentle, exfoliating facial scrub that caught my eye, I had to go ahead and grab a giant box of Biore’s daily cleansing cloths. Needless to say, I was hoping they would prove to be the savior I’d been seeking for so long.

Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. I busted those makeup removing wipes out of their packaging and promptly wiped off all of the day’s makeup with a single one. Naturally, I was very impressed to see how easily the cleansing wipe managed to cut through the many layers of primer, pigment, concealer, powder, liner and mascara decorating various parts of my face at that moment. It was outrageously easy, and I knew I had finally found the eye makeup remover of my dreams.

Truthfully, I have used the same brand of makeup removing wipes ever since – and quite happily, I might add. I know there are probably similar products out there that can also do the job and do it very well, but I can’t say that I’ve had the need to shop around and try a bunch of different things. I, personally, can only vouch for the rockin’ awesomeness of Biore’s daily cleansing cloths, but a close friend of mine passionately swears by Pond’s makeup remover wipes, so those could be another option to investigate.

Whatever the brand (assuming you’ve got a product of decent quality on your hands), these babies make for some seriously convenient cleansing of the whole facial area. If you are prone to hitting the sack without washing off your makeup because it’s a royal pain in the butt, these pre-moistened makeup remover pads could quickly become your new best friends. They make it so easy to clean and freshen up your face that there will be absolutely no excuse to go to bed wearing makeup anymore.

Occasionally, you may have to use two moist wipes instead of one to clear away every last trace of makeup. Still, it is much simpler and a whole lot less messy than trying to thoroughly wash off a heaping helping of cosmetics with your lowly bar of soap and wet cloth – plus, unlike plain soap, the best makeup remover wipes seem to contain some astringent substances, which do a wonderful job of stripping cosmetics and impurities from our pores, as well as discouraging excess oil production. Woohoo!

Put Your Best Face Forward

You can even use these moistened cleansing cloths if you’re not wearing a lick of makeup. They work fabulously well when used in the place of the traditional face washings with soap and water (you know… in the mornings and the evenings, or whenever you prefer to do your thing, whatever your routine happens to be). Anytime you feel as though you could use of bit of a refresher or pick-me-up throughout the day, you’re really only one face wipe away from feeling invigorated and re-energized.

(Mind you, I am definitely not saying that a pack of facial cleansing cloths – even the best damn bag of makeup remover wipes in the whole world – will solve all of your problems in life, nuh uh, nope. Please, don’t get me wrong! Washing your face can be a legitimately refreshing act, though, it’s entirely true. Stressed people are always doing it in the movies, aren’t they? Haha. For real, you should try it. No joke, buddy.)

Do you have allergies, or do you know anyone who struggles with allergies? When pollen and pet dander cause a person’s eyes to itch and water, it’s usually incredibly uncomfortable and sometimes slightly swollen and tender in the affected area. Rather than rubbing your eyes, endlessly blowing your nose, feeling generally miserable and ultimately counting on an anti-histamine pill to solve the problem, just enlist one of your handy eye makeup remover pads to save the day. They’re great for quick, comprehensive, no-nonsense cleanup sessions, whenever and wherever you need them.

I like to grab a makeup removing wipe and give my hands and face a vigorous cleansing after I’ve been playing around with my dog for a while, actually. Like most people, I tend to touch my face after the roughhousing without realizing it, unwittingly transferring dander into my eye area. Bad news for me, since I’m mildly allergic! After a couple of itchy incidents, I figured out that I could avoid enduring the oozing, unhappy eyes with the benefit of a post-playtime wash via makeup wipe.

Anyway, I hope my post will lead tons of other women to discover this fantastic face makeup remover and marvel at the convenience it is able to provide. If you’re tempted to give it a try, you really should. I can almost fully guarantee that you’ll be glad you did! Whether you decide to go with the Biore daily cleansing cloths, the Pond’s pads or different brand that seems more appealing to you, I think you’ll be quite pleased.

Love sparkles? (Me too!) You should totally check out my snazzy post about glitter nail polish and get stocked up on all of the hottest nail lacquers with gorgeously glittery finishes. Your fingernails will twinkle and shine like stars shimmering in the night sky! Pop on over to my guide for dyeing your hair purple, too (or pink, if you prefer). Have any questions, comments or words of wisdom you’d like to share? By all means, go for it. Your feedback is not only warmly welcomed but also genuinely appreciated here at cutie-pie.net.

The ongoing struggle to subdue unsightly, uninvited facial hair is an extremely frustrating and embarrassing problem that many women are unfairly forced to endure for the majority of their adult lives, in varying degrees.

Although you might feel like your issues with facial hair are freaky or uncommon in some way, I can assure you that is absolutely not the case. In fact, tons of women are going through the very same thing you’re going through right now – it’s just that nobody wants to talk about it because the subject matter can be quite humiliating.

But why are we all so ashamed of a few tiny, undesirable hairs popping up here or there, anyway? What’s the big deal, huh? I mean, we are only human beings; hair growth is a totally normal part of being healthy, alive and human.

For the most part, it’s perfectly fine and relatively harmless to alter such aspects of your appearance in the interest of enhancing your confidence level or fine-tuning your facial beauty, but you should never feel ashamed of yourself or down about your looks just because a handful of rebellious hairs have to be escorted from the premises every now and then. It doesn’t make you any less of a woman. You’re still you, and you’re still a cutie-pie! End of story.

Presently, there are several different methods that can be used – either alone or in lovely, harmonious combination with one another – to swiftly and effectively remove unwanted facial hair in the privacy of your own home. Additionally, there are some alternative hair removal options that require visiting a trained specialist who is responsible for administering the selected treatment to the affected areas.

Either way, you’re not stuck with those unwelcome whiskers that are driving you crazy. You’re not trapped, nor are you powerless to change the situation, so try not to stress out too much. This isn’t a terminal condition that afflicted parties must simply live with or work around – it’s an entirely solvable thing, and a fairly minor one, whether your budget is large or small.

Farewell To The Fuzz

Because shaving tends to be such a quick, easy and inexpensive process, you may be tempted to grab a standard razor and get to work removing unwanted facial hair. I would have to advise against this! For one thing, it’s a very fleeting sort of solution that will likely have you turning back to the blade every day in order to maintain suitable smoothness (talk about tedious and unnecessary, jeez).

Moreover, the act of shaving one’s face is deeply embedded in most of our psyches as a distinctly masculine behavior. The average woman who is wrestling with issues pertaining to unwanted facial hair removal does not feel particularly thrilled about that fact, often because she perceives the wayward hair as a blow to her precious femininity.

Therefore, it would be counterproductive to establish a daily shaving routine that has the potential to depress and demoralize the woman following it by reinforcing those unjustified fears of increasing masculinity and lost femininity. Of course, you know yourself better than anyone, and you will ultimately have to weigh your options and decide how to remove unwanted facial hair in a manner that meets your needs. If you swear by the razor and passionately believe it’s your best option, then I won’t stand in your way.

However, as far as I’m concerned, the best way to remove unwanted facial hair (and the easiest way by a long shot, I must say, based upon my own experiences) is to treat your troubled areas with a specially formulated bleach for facial hair. Granted, this does not technically get rid of anything – instead, it totally removes the appearance of those hairs by obliterating any pigment contained within the strands.

Assuming you follow the directions on your packet of facial hair bleach to the letter – which would include reading (not skimming) the instructions, mixing the appropriate ratio of bleach to developer and timing the procedure correctly (whatever is advised by the directions supplied with that particular product) – then you can reasonably expect to see a rather striking and pleasant result. The hairs should be very, very blonde, almost to the point of being completely colorless, which makes them nearly invisible against fair to medium skin tones.

When applying a cream bleach for facial hair, it’s not realistically possible to avoid contact between the bleach mixture and the skin that happens to be residing beneath the hairs you’re targeting. Frequently, there will be a slight-but-noticeable lightening effect on the areas where bleach has been allowed to rest for any significant length of time. Don’t worry, though! There’s no need to be seriously alarmed about it. It’s only temporary, and your skin color should return to normal within about an hour.

Try to do your first session at home, alone, where you can enjoy some measure of privacy – on a day when you have a few hours of free time, preferably. The bleaching itself shouldn’t take more than fifteen or twenty minutes to complete, but you will want to allow yourself sufficient time to evaluate and determine how much (if any) lightening can be expected to occur with your skin each time you bleach, as well as how long it will generally take for that temporary discoloration to fade and dissipate. Everybody’s skin is different, so it’s always a smart idea to experiment with plenty of time to spare and see how the unfamiliar product impacts you, personally.

Smooth As Silk

If you’re aiming to get rid of unwanted facial hair that’s exceptionally thick or stubborn, you might end up feeling as though a simple attempt to bleach facial hair is not enough to remedy your deeply irritating and profoundly disheartening issues. It’s true that bleaching does not address the thickness or coarseness of the renegade hairs that may be present on your face at any given time, and that’s where other methods of hair removal must come into play for certain individuals.

Plucking alone could prove to be incredibly painful and time-consuming for those among us who are dealing with lots and lots of stray hairs. I would wholeheartedly recommend a combination of bleaching and supplemental tweezing to deal with an outrageously unruly upper lip or a fuzzy chin. Honestly, I would probably recommend the same uncomplicated, inexpensive and highly effective combination of hair removal techniques to the bulk of the women who find and read this page.

Regardless of how many wild and unruly hairs are troubling your lovely face at the moment, the general idea I’m getting at is to strip them of all their pigment – so much so that they’re barely visible, even when you are staring directly at the area in fairly close proximity – and then to thin everything out quite a bit with tweezers afterward, creating a very natural and effortless sort of look.

You see, it’s absolutely normal to have a soft sprinkling of tiny, fine, hardly noticeable hairs covering your face and body (in all seriousness, everyone does). Believe it or not, the only literally, legitimately hairless places we human beings can claim are the palms of our hands and soles of our feet! The fact of the matter is that our faces don’t actually have to be utterly smooth and hairless in order to look utterly smooth and hairless… and beautiful.

Think of young children, for example: their faces are arguably the softest and smoothest (and cutest!) faces around, but they’re definitely not devoid of hair. Rather, the delicate fuzz is so miniscule and so light in color that it goes wholly unnoticed – and that’s the theory behind bleaching facial hair as an adult, too. It’s all about lightening the offending strands to match the other, regular hairs on your face which are naturally subtle enough to be scarcely visible.

For women of color, bleaching unwanted facial hair is not usually the greatest hair removal option. Doing so can easily fade the color of the aforementioned hairs far beyond what’s necessary or personally desirable, making the patches of fuzziness in question even more noticeable than they were, originally.

Instead of craftily camouflaging the wee, little whiskers and causing them to blend in with your complexion, the bleach is liable to lift too much pigment and cause the overly lightened hairs to stand out against your rich, brownish skin tone. The darker your skin’s pigmentation, the more difficulty you’re likely to experience in regard to making the bleaching method work for you.

Although it’s not impossible to use facial hair bleach effectively as an African American woman (tip: it can do a truly fabulous job of lightening your eyebrows, for one thing), gorgeous gals with mahogany skin may wish to embrace occasional plucking or routine waxing – or a regimen of both – in the place of bleach. Whether used separately or together, these methods tend to be worlds easier to manage than trying to carefully lighten dark, stubborn facial hairs to precisely the right shade.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Facial hair waxing is most effectively and safely implemented by a trained beautician with plenty of “real world experience” under his or her belt. DIY kits designed for personal and private use are most certainly available for purchase, but I’m really not a big fan of them, myself.

Every home waxing kit I’ve ever tried has proven to be so ridiculously excruciating that I could not, in good conscience, recommend you submit yourself to any such thing. We’re talking about some serious ouchies, here, people (and don’t even get me started on trying the DIY bikini waxing kit… ugh, even the faded memory of that experience is painful).

A fully trained professional with flawless waxing technique should be able to provide a significantly less agonizing hair removal session than the one you might be tempted to conduct on yourself at home – please, believe me. Unless you have already used the stuff and developed a knack for efficient waxing or you’re willing to become an expert through months of dreadfully unpleasant trial and error, then you’ll probably want to leave the potentially excruciating beauty procedures to the ladies at the beauty salon.

The typical session involves a thorough application of warm, gooey wax to the area being treated. Then, a strip of cloth – traditionally muslin – is pressed firmly onto the wax, sticking the two together. As the heated wax cools, it hardens around the uninvited hairs and grabs onto them very tightly. When the time is right, your beautician will hold the skin taut and quickly snatch away the muslin strip, taking those pesky hairs with it. Results can last up to several weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows (it varies from person to person).

Sure, it does cost money to visit the salon and pay a pro to wax away your facial hair worries, but it may not be anywhere near as expensive as what you’re imagining. (I know that was the case for me, at one time.) Prices can vary quite a bit by beauty parlor and practitioner, so don’t be afraid to shop around and see what’s out there. Make a few calls to different establishments to inquire about their pricing, then try to identify the juiciest deal! You could very well uncover some remarkably reasonable offers that won’t strain your bank account in the slightest.

On the other hand, if money is no object, you way wish to investigate the pros and cons of laser epilation or electrolysis treatments for getting rid of unwanted facial hair. Generally, the treatment sessions are far more numerous and costly than routine waxing, but laser hair removal and electrolysis are actually supposed to permanently decrease or halt hair production in the places they’re used, as opposed to simply pulling out the wayward whiskers to provide a temporary fix.

What sorts of experiences have YOU had with facial hair bleach, waxing, plucking or shaving in the past? What piece of advice would you want to give to somebody who is new to the whole hair removal scene? Are you a curious newbie, yourself? Whatever the case, don’t be shy! Here at cutie-pie.net, your feedback is always happily welcomed and thoroughly appreciated. Please, do feel free to ask a question or share your thoughts using the comment box located below.

Have any interest in learning how to apply eye makeup? Would you care to prettify your nails with sassy, eye-catching glitter nail polish, hmm? Click around and enjoy yourself a bit before logging off, my fashionable friend. There are lots of fun tutorials and detailed reviews ’round these parts to keep you endlessly entertained and exceptionally well-informed. Best of luck with all of your beauty endeavors! Thanks for visiting.

In today’s world, the average woman is walking around with a mane of positively exhausted strands that have sustained a certain degree of damage since they sprouted from the scalp. If you’ve ever bleached, colored, flat-ironed, curled, relaxed or blow-dried your hair, then the integrity of your tresses has definitely been compromised – maybe a little bit, maybe a lot.

The level of destruction present has everything to do with how often you force your hair to undergo harsh, chemical-based processing and how often you utilize styling tools that subject your hair to extremely, sizzlingly hot temperatures.

Because bleaching penetrates the hair’s cuticle layer in order to remove pigment (be it natural or artificial), it’s one of the most damaging procedures your locks could ever hope to endure. Interestingly enough, it’s actually quite a common practice, in spite of that.

Statistically speaking, very few people have naturally platinum or ash blond hair during adulthood, so it stands to reason that the vast majority of adult blondes we encounter in our daily lives are relying on peroxide rather than genetics to maintain their unusually pale hairstyles.

If you wanted to dye your hair a crazy, bold, delightfully unorthodox type of shade like pink or purple or green, you’d be unlikely to achieve a satisfyingly vivid, vibrant result without the benefit of a preparatory bleaching session.

Virtually every streaking and highlighting procedure includes some form of lightening via bleach as well. Destructive though it may be, bleaching is everywhere – and that’s not necessarily a negative thing because hair bleach can be remarkably safe and epically useful when handled with care.

Generally, hair dyes will have much less of an impact on the strength and integrity of your hair strands than beautification sessions where bleaching is involved. However, this does not mean that coloring your hair is a benign and totally harmless process that should be taken lightly or treated with any measure of thoughtless flippancy.

The more frequently you color your beloved locks, the more often you are playing around with – and consequently weakening, in most cases – the inner structure of your hair. This can eventually lead to chronic dryness and hopelessly dull, lifeless tresses.

The Usual Suspects

Heat styling is another known culprit. Styling with heat doesn’t typically result in severely damaged hair, but the use of scorching styling tools certainly takes its toll as the days and weeks pass. Those of us who make use of flat irons and similar styling devices on a daily basis are at the highest risk of suffering long-term mane thrashing.

Blow-drying, in particular, is rough on the cuticle layer and should be scrapped in favor of naturally drying (or “air drying”) your hair whenever possible. That may seem wildly impractical when early workdays beckon and doctor’s appointments must be kept and so on, but it’s well worth squeezing into your schedule, at least occasionally.

When hair gets pulled back and secured too tightly in a braid or ponytail, mild to moderate breakage can occur in the overly stressed regions. “Breakage” refers to fried, damaged, weakened strands breaking and snapping off at their flimsiest points following routine exposure to normal amounts of pressure and strain.

Weaves and extensions also come along with the potential – nay, the likelihood – to provoke breakage that ranges in severity from moderate to outrageous. Sometimes, damage done by prolonged wear of incredibly tight extensions, corn rows or hair weaves can develop into permanent hair loss.

Conditions like everyday breakage and the more serious traction alopecia fit into a whole different category than the types of damage caused by bleaching and dyeing, though. Unfortunately, standard treatments (conditioners and the like) designed to fix damaged hair can do virtually nothing to remedy the unsightly and disheartening issues stemming from brittle, broken strands and destruction of precious follicles.

While those types of issues are not the focus of this post, it is worth noting that the damaged hair treatments described herein could indeed strengthen any remaining hair and prevent future breakage for individuals afflicted with the aforementioned problems.

Let’s Get Down To Business

Once you’ve decided you’re going to be proactive and figure out how to treat damaged hair (so as to see an improvement in the condition of your tired tresses, of course), you’ll need to make another important choice: are you or are you not going to continue processing your hair in the future? What’s the plan, Stan?

These are relevant questions because your answers will determine whether these moisturizing masks and damaged hair treatments actually have a shot at doing any lasting good. Sadly, if you’ve bleached your hair to an utterly straw-like texture and can’t see ending the cycle as a realistic option, then you’ll always be fighting a losing battle.

The next step is to – quite literally – cut your losses and move on. See a stylist about removing some of that dead weight with a sexy, stylish, new haircut that flatters your face. Part with as much of the fried, ugly stuff as you can manage, but don’t go so short that you’ll passionately regret it later and feel like you’ve suffered a massive hit to your self-esteem.

You should probably resist the impulse to “start over from scratch” by rocking a buzz cut or a completely bald head unless you’re gutsy enough and confident enough to own the look and wear it with pride. Extreme, eye-catching hairstyles worn sheepishly are prone to coming off as totally ridiculous.

At some point, when I was a teenager, I actually gave myself a buzz cut on an impulse, aiming to get rid of my severely, severely damaged hair. You see, I had bleached it from dyed black to platinum blond a couple of different times, which can only be described as an absolute nightmare for my super stressed locks (it’s something I would recommend you avoid, if at all possible). Heck, I think I was pretty lucky to have any hair left at all, considering…

Anyway, I immediately regretted the decision I’d made to shave everything but a half-inch of my hair off. Honestly, I felt incredibly naked and exposed for months and months and months while it grew out.

So, if you’re a girl (or a sensitive, long-haired guy, I suppose) and there’s a possibility that your hair acts as a kind of security blanket for you – appearance wise – then I’d say you should surely think twice about ditching the whole lot of it at once, just for the sake of a fresh start. Short of buying a wig and bitterly playing the waiting game, there’s not much you can really do to mend the situation if you should happen to change your mind afterward.

Damage Control

What’s next, you ask? Assess the level of dryness and devastation currently affecting your overworked tresses. There are lots of hair treatments for damaged hair on the market, but some of them are significantly more intensive and complicated than others.

Product A may attempt to temporarily tackle problems with smoothness and softness, while Product B might be primarily geared toward semi-permanently smoothing, straightening or de-frizzing. It’s important to be aware of what your hair needs, specifically, so that you can treat the issues in a reasonably efficient and cost-effective manner.

If your hair is only slightly battered and you’re simply looking for a little bit of a boost here or there, occasional use of a basic deep conditioner could do the trick.

For the most part, deep conditioners are intended to be left on the hair for quite a while longer than their traditional counterparts – anywhere from 3 minutes to 30 minutes, usually. (As always, refer to the packaging of a particular item for specific instructions.)

Like I said before, there are plenty of options out there. You can find deep conditioning treatments that are specially formulated to strengthen hair, others that are devoted to attacking dryness, and still others that purport to enhance the bounce and shimmer of natural curls. Look around for a while, and see what kinds of intense and intriguing conditioners the store has to offer. Which one seems best suited to handling the troublesome issues you’ve been experiencing?

Hair that has suffered serious damage can also benefit from the use of a deep conditioning treatment, although it is highly advisable to use the conditioner a couple of times per week in such a scenario – as opposed to using it sporadically, as needed, like a person with barely-damaged hair would.

Allow the cream or goo to sit on your hair and do its work for just a couple of moments beyond the suggested time window listed on the packaging, and add some heat into the mix, so long as there are no potentially harmful ingredients present (almost invariably, basic deep conditioners are a safe bet in that regard).

Oil treatments, both of the “hot oil” and the regular variety, constitute another popular option for repairing damaged hair. A wide array of fruit and plant oils have been proven to benefit human hair in some really interesting and exciting ways, and there are several companies that aim to bring the goodness of Mother Nature to your tresses with their products.

Olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, avocado oil and many other nutrient-rich, aromatic oils from nature are commonly utilized as primary and supporting ingredients in all sorts of hair-beautifying hot oil treatments.

Kick It Up A Notch

Arguably, the best hair treatment for damaged hair would be a mask or cream boasting a potent mix of moisturizers, nutrients and keratin – and, incidentally, carrying a slightly higher price tag than the previously mentioned treatment options (thanks to the cornucopia of fancy ingredients).

“Keratin” is a name for the structural proteins that function as the building blocks of our hair and nails and the outermost layer of our skin. They’re a sturdy, fibrous group of proteins that are found in many different treatments designed to fix damaged hair.

How much can mercilessly, wholly fried hair really be fixed, though? Well, it’s always a good idea to keep your expectations reasonable. Since our hair strands are not technically alive, they’ll never be able to fully perk up and miraculously heal themselves from the inside out.

They can never be truly restored or revitalized, in a technical sense. Any treatments we may use can only provide temporary effects. This is part of the reason why I recommend using products with keratin! It’s one of the longest-lasting treatments available.

Make it your mission to be a cautious shopper, for the sake of your hair. Not every product with keratin in the ingredients list is a winner, so don’t buy indiscriminately. It can be a tremendously beneficial edge to shop online because it grants you the ability to read customer reviews and take your sweet time browsing.

If you haven’t a clue which item to pick, simply trust one of the damaged hair treatments with lots of reviews and a high (4 or 5 star) rating. Remember: an outstanding review from a very small number of people is much less comforting than a rating which is merely good, but agreed upon by fifty or a hundred people.

Using a product of sufficient quality, you should see a drastic reduction in the amount of frizz you’re struggling with each day, in addition to noticing a reasonably powerful straightening effect. Keratin works by creating a protective layer of protein around each strand, reconstructing and reinforcing the hair shafts, as well as smoothing the cuticle. The positive effects of the keratin treatment should last approximately six to eight weeks.

Concerns have been raised by researchers and public health officials as to whether keratin treatments containing formaldehyde (a description that fits the vast majority of salon products) are safe for humans to use. Stylists performing keratin treatments in beauty salons have complained of nose bleeds and eye irritation related to unwitting inhalation of harmful fumes.

You can side-step this entire issue by purchasing a DIY kit for home use that specifically declares “formaldehyde free” on the box or jar – and, as an added bonus, you’ll probably spend about half as much money.

Closing Arguments

There’s an ancient proverb that says “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” or something along those lines, and I think that’s an absolutely excellent piece of advice for any gal (or guy) who genuinely cares about the condition of her (or his) hair – not only now, but in the long-term, in the bigger picture.

What the saying means is: it’s much easier and vastly more beneficial to take preventative measures that stop an irritating problem from ever occurring than it is to scramble about desperately after the fact, like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to put a Band-Aid over frightful destruction that cannot be undone.

Fortunately, there is a way to continue heat styling your hair on a routine basis without sustaining any further damage: just spend a few dollars on a trustworthy serum or spray that offers protection from the scorching heat. Then, before using your blow-dryer, curling iron, flat iron or whatever it is you’re going to use, be sure to thoroughly and methodically massage the product throughout your hair, from root to tip.

Apply only enough heat protection mousse or heat styling serum to coat your luscious hair strands with a thin layer of product, and no more than that; using an excessive amount of product is likely to leave hair feeling crispy, sticky or greasy upon drying.

As far as highlights and dye jobs and bleaching are concerned, genuinely try to use your best judgment, knowing what you now know about the impact of such procedures on your hair. In the future, think long and hard before subjecting your battered tresses to chemical processing. Is it truly necessary?

You should fight the urge to undergo spontaneous, unplanned bouts of bleaching and dyeing that you may later regret. Why? Well, fixing those types of mistakes will very probably require even more peroxide or hair color, which translates to even more destruction. Ouch!

Mind you, that doesn’t mean you’re forbidden to do anything exciting or outside-the-box with your hairstyle – I’m only suggesting that you give it some serious, objective thought beforehand. The less you chemically process your hair, the better. Thus, your best bet is to avoid acting impulsively in that department.

Weigh your options, decide which direction you’d like to take and – once you’re sure, once you’ve committed to the plan and the intended result – go for it. Be careful, and try to achieve the look you want with as little bleaching and coloring as possible.

Well, that’s it! You came, you read, you read some more, you learned how to fix damaged hair. Ladies, I am sincerely wishing you the best of luck with any upcoming hair treatments you may be planning to undergo.

I’d love to hear how the process plays out for you and whether you are satisfied with the results, so please feel free to bookmark this page and leave a comment here when you’re done with everything. Remember: at cutie-pie.net, you’re always welcome to share your thoughts and opinions. Got questions? Not a problem! Those are always welcome, too.

If you’re into cosmetics and beauty in addition to hair care, then don’t depart without taking a look at my smokey eye tutorial or my guide to beautifying your nails with glitter nail polish. Hankering for a wonderfully detailed, in-depth review of several Urban Decay eye shadow palettes? ‘Tis all here, dear reader! Enjoy.

Would you classify yourself as the type of person who is hopelessly in love with all things sparkly and cute? Do you enjoy shimmery eye makeup, disco balls and diamonds in a truly profound sort of way? For some of us, glitter and shine are cosmetic staples that go with every outfit and fit every conceivable situation perfectly, while other people tend to be a little – or a lot – more conservative when it comes to wearing sparkles.

Whether you happen to be the former or the latter type, glitter nail polish deserves to be considered as a viable option for subtly sprucing up the overall appearance of your hands. You simply need to find a polish that suits your tastes and flatters your fabulous fingertips! Somewhere out there, the right nail lacquer is patiently waiting for you.

Parties and special occasions of many kinds present the opportunity for almost anyone to indulge in a wildly sparkly nail motif, regardless of whether they’re ordinarily timid or bold in terms of fashion choices. A party is a perfectly acceptable and appropriate place to be rocking a super shimmery look that includes chunky glitter nail polish and makes no apologies for it.

Heck, come Christmastime, even grandma could get away with wearing gold glitter nail polish or silver glitter nail polish to celebrate the holiday season. New Year’s Eve is another time when sparkly accessorizing, on the nails and beyond, wouldn’t seem the least bit out of place. How about red glitter nail polish with white hearts for Valentine’s Day? The possibilities are practically endless. Start brainstorming!

Tastefully Twinkly

If you’re genuinely worried about looking foolish or ridiculous when wearing a glitter nail polish, you can choose to err on the side of caution in a few different ways. For starters, try to find sparkly nail lacquer with a base color that is both familiar and flattering to you (a trusted staple of your ever-expanding nail wardrobe).

Next, do your best to identify and select shades with small pieces of glitter that are less likely to be interpreted as gaudy or over the top. The most understated option would be to choose a clear glitter nail polish with tiny, tiny sparkles to go over your natural nail color. One or two coats of such a polish would deposit a very mild sprinkling of micro-glitter across the surface of your nails, adding shimmer and shine without ever coming close to leaping off the deep end.

In some cases, twinkling nail polish looks are achieved using plain colors paired with clear or tinted topcoats that are chock full of glitter. This method leaves a tad more room for user customization because it offers polish junkies the ability to mix and match polish shades with different shapes, colors and sizes of glitter precisely as desired.

Whether you’re using a nail lacquer that contains glitter or you’re adding layers of sparkly topcoat to an application of plain polish in order to achieve a similar effect, that topcoat is going to play an important role. With or without the twinkly accents, it’s the topcoat that’s going to seal off and protect your freshly manicured nails. Over a polish that contains colorful pigments along with heaps of glitter, use your clear topcoat to eliminate a scratchy or bumpy finish by covering the offending surfaces with a smooth, hard, invisible shell.

Acrylic Nails With Attitude

Ladies who prefer to visit nail salons routinely for application and maintenance of acrylic nails can also get in on the glittery fun described in this article, if they should feel so inclined. In fact, a lot of nail experts will regularly stock a wide variety of loose glitter products specifically designed to decorate false fingernails. Ask your manicurist about her library of sparkly powders, and take your pick from the cornucopia of options presented thereafter.

Then, relax and trust the specialist to work her magic. A talented nail artist can create some truly beautiful, innovative artwork with colored lacquers and glitter and a canvas consisting of acrylic nail material, so don’t unfairly assume that every sparkly design is invariably doomed to look like a child’s Barbie Dream House exploded on your hands. Give the notion of nail glitter a chance and you might be pleasantly surprised by the results.

Whether they’re real or acrylic, turning your nails into a miniature masterpiece is one way to discourage yourself from absentmindedly nibbling and gnawing on them each day. Of course, it’s true that old habits die hard, but breaking your addiction to mercilessly chewing your own fingernails is not an unrealistic or impossible goal, and a fabulous set of pretty nails with pink glitter nail polish or purple glitter nail polish may just help you come to appreciate and respect your nails a wee bit more than you did previously.

If maintaining the exquisite nail art on top of them is a serious concern (not to mention a substantial expense, as it is in the case of acrylic nails), then you’ll be far less likely to chomp your fingernails down into hideous, painful stumps. (Mind you, this is merely a tip that may be of help to some readers – it is not the be-all, end-all cure for compulsive nail biting!)

It’s Your Time To Shine

Well, then, are you ready to decorate your fingernails with shimmering, twinkling goodness? Are you ready to feel like a foxy, fashionable, exquisitely glittery babe with glamorous hands? Then it’s time to go shopping! (Yay, shopping!) OPI glitter nail polish is really popular because it is a high-quality lacquer that’s not insanely pricey, plus the brand’s sparkly style sensibilities manage to gracefully walk the line between sophisticated shimmer and pure, unadulterated whimsy.

If OPI isn’t your cup of tea, for whatever reason – or if you simply want to see what else is available for purchase – then be sure to take a peek at the tempting array of twinkly, glitter-filled nail polish colors offered by Orly and Zoya as well. Both are incredibly popular, highly beloved and very well-respected brands, just like OPI. You can’t go horribly wrong with any one of these three manufacturers, so march onward and buy with confidence.

How do YOU feel about glitter nail polish? Love it, hate it, don’t care either way? Do you have a favorite brand or color? How about advice for other readers, based on your personal experiences? Enter your pearls of wisdom in the comment box below (I’d be delighted to hear from you!), then click around cutie-pie.net and discover all sorts of other beauty secrets you might use to further prettify yourself.

You could learn how to dye your hair purple or pink without going prematurely bald in the process, or you could get the complete lowdown on Urban Decay’s amazing eye shadow palettes. Read your way to becoming a pro at applying eye makeup, perhaps. Interested in sporting a smokey eye look? No problem, there’s a “how to” page for that, too! Good luck, and have fun. Glittery gals, go forth and share your cuteness with the world.

Have you ever thought about dyeing your hair pink? It might seem like a crazy idea that’s likely to result in some frazzled locks and rose-tinted regrets, but that’s not necessarily the case. Your experiences with pink hair dye don’t have to be traumatic or overwhelmingly frustrating experiences, and they don’t have to be exorbitantly expensive ones, either.

Gwen Stefani and Pink (the singer) have both worn this color proudly and stylishly in the past, managing to look chic and gorgeous while doing so. Why couldn’t you? Rock stars aren’t the only ones who are allowed to have fun with their hair color. If you haven’t already given it some thought, you should seriously consider the notion of sporting a pink ‘do. It could actually be very flattering, believe it or not (…believe it!).

Coloring your hair at home will save you a rather costly and time-consuming trip to your salon (and the average salon probably doesn’t stock semi-permanent pink hair dye on a routine basis anyway, let’s face it). If you’re unsure about flying solo through the coloring process, you could try to recruit a supportive friend or family member to offer an extra set of hands and a few encouraging words.

As long as you always follow the instructions on the packaging – or the sage advice of someone who is fully qualified to be offering pearls of wisdom on the subject – you and your lovely hair will be perfectly fine, safe and sound. In fact, you’ll be tickled pink!

Life’s A Bleach

There is no such thing as a pink hair dye for dark hair, specifically. If it’s a pure, vibrant, vivid kind of pink you’re after, then you’ll have to get comfortable with bleaching all of the existing color out of your hair first. Whether it’s a neon pink hair dye, a bubblegum pink hair dye or even a hot pink hair dye that you happen to be dealing with, it’s very unlikely that the rosy pigments will be able to grab onto strands of hair that haven’t been sufficiently pre-lightened.

Because bleaching opens up the hair shaft, thereby increasing your hair’s ability to soak up and retain pigment, it is highly advisable that you do not skip this part of the process (yes, blondes, you too). Without a preliminary round of bleaching, the result of your efforts is almost guaranteed to be a dye job lacking any true clarity or brightness – if the color ends up being visible at all.

However, bleaching your hair is an operation that must be undertaken and executed with an appropriate measure of caution and attentiveness, every time. It can be an incredibly damaging procedure, so don’t take it lightly or put your hair through it often. To start, you’ll need to acquire several packets (or one of those giant, salon-sized tubs) of powdered lightener, like Quick White by Salon Care or Wellite by Wella. Based on the darkness, depth and intensity of your current hair color, go ahead and select a suitable developer (ask a salesperson for help, if you’re shopping in a physical store as opposed to online).

For its ease of application and excellent drip control, I would heartily recommend a cream or “creme” style developer, rather than the “clear” option. Twenty or thirty volume developer should be strong enough to accomplish the task at hand without veering into overkill territory. Consult the directions listed on your bleach packet(s) for more information about compatible developers and, in some instances, helpful suggestions for complementary products.

Pretty In Pink

If your hair is full of brownish yellows and brassy oranges after lifting out most of the color with bleach, you can use a toner to neutralize and sometimes eliminate those offending shades that had the audacity to remain. Be careful, though; when left to sit and process for too long, the toner could temporarily stain your chemically lightened strands with a pale, purple or blue hue.

Thorough washing should remove any such remnants and leave your hair in optimal condition to absorb a dramatic, bright pink hair dye or a sweet and cutesy, light pink hair dye (or whatever kind of pink you choose, for that matter).

With gloved hands – and using a tint brush for precision, if you desire – apply the pink hair dye to your colorless mane. Allow the Manic Panic pigment to soak into your hair shafts for a couple of hours, at least. (The longer, the better! Wear it overnight, if you can.) Then, rinse the dye from your hair with cool or lukewarm water, and keep rinsing until the water runs clear.

There are downsides to dyeing your hair pink, but they’re mostly tiny, insignificant cons that don’t carry much weight. For starters, your bathtub is destined to experience the stubbornly colorful joys of temporary staining from your Manic Panic products, for as long as you’re using them – it’s a wholly unavoidable thing.

Based upon my own experiences, I would wager a guess that many parents and roommates out there are totally alarmed at the loud pigments lingering in their bathtubs right this very moment. Just let your loved ones know it will wash away in the near future, so they needn’t worry. (In case you were wondering, Manic Panic is the brand of dye I mention most often in this article because it’s the only one I use, personally, and fully recommend. Nevertheless, I will say that I have heard positive things about Special Effects dyes as well.)

Another point of interest is that you may be the recipient of some unwanted (occasionally unpleasant) attention coming from rude, nosy people who are not very open-minded about odd hairstyles or strange hair dyes. If you’re overly sensitive to stares, gasps, pointing, dirty looks or snide comments, then the sad truth is that a super intense, eye-popping pink may not be the right hair color for you; it could land you a position as the butt of a few jokes, and it certainly won’t help you to blend in with the crowd!

(Note that you’re more likely to struggle with ridicule over unnatural hair color in someplace like a small, Midwestern town than in a place like L.A. or New York, where “freaky” hair is not all that unusual.)

Finally, when using a semi-permanent pink hair dye to color your tresses, it’s important to realize that the pigment will fade by a considerable smidgen each and every time it gets washed. Maintaining the color, in and of itself, can become something of an irritating chore. Fortunately, if you’re committed to boldly going pink for your own enjoyment and satisfaction, none of the issues described above will really matter to you. Follow your heart to the Manic Panic display, my friend!

I Pink I Can, I Pink I Can

Cotton Candy Pink is a light pink hair dye that’s available in the classic and amplified cream formulas offered by Manic Panic. The “amplified” formula is supposed to last about a third longer than the original one, according to Tish and Snooky (the creators of MP), but I haven’t tried it, so I really couldn’t say with any semblance of certainty that it does. I can assure you that the standard formula works like a charm, though. (Costs less, too!) If you limit your shampoo sessions to two or three per week, you’ll be able to get a lot of mileage out of any Manic Panic shade.

Cotton Candy Pink is comparable to the Cupcake Pink hair dye sold by Special Effects, but Cotton Candy Pink tends to come out slightly lighter than its sister from another brand, Cupcake Pink. These pretty pinks are way too pale to have an impact on dark hair that hasn’t been pre-lightened, so don’t bother attempting to use them for highlight purposes; you’ll have to bleach yourself white-blond to enjoy sporting a soft shade of baby pink.

Hot Hot Pink is one of a few colors by Manic Panic that actually glow under black light! It’s available in both the classic and amplified cream formulas, and it is practically the same shade as the ultra-lively Atomic Pink hair dye offered by Special Effects. As the Hot Hot Pink name saucily suggests, this a seriously vibrant, hot pink hair dye containing a healthy dose of fuchsia pigment and spunky attitude.

Although it performs at its absolute best when applied to light blond or white-blond hair, Hot Hot Pink is deep and rich to such a degree that it frequently produces phenomenal, dramatic highlights on naturally blond and light brown locks, sans bleaching. Buy this dye if you’re longing for a bold, in-your-face pink with a “take no prisoners” philosophy, and be sure to wear it with a self-assured smile.

Manic Panic’s Pretty Flamingo is a fierce, fabulous, neon pink hair dye with plenty of warm, orange undertones and an fully intoxicating sense of spirited playfulness. It’s the epitome of a sweet, girly, glamorous pink, and I have to confess that I absolutely love everything about it. Available exclusively in the classic cream formula, Pretty Flamingo is a frisky firecracker of a hair color that can occasionally be difficult or impossible to find in local shops, malls, department stores and beauty supply outlets.

For some reason, the majority of merchants are usually inclined to pick out a single light pink hair dye and a single dark pink hair dye (if they even care enough to select more than one) when choosing products to represent each color of the rainbow in their store’s inventory. More often than not, Pretty Flamingo gets left by the wayside, remaining innocently mysterious and coyly playing hard-to-get with smitten consumers.

In addition to their beloved hair dyes and their fashionably spooky line of goth-inspired makeup products, Manic Panic sells a popular bleaching kit called Flash Lightning, which can serve to simplify the lightening process for newbies and lazy “dyehards” by presenting the bulk of the required bleaching supplies in a single, convenient bundle.

If you don’t know where to buy pink hair dye, Flash Lightning kits or other hair coloring supplies (gloves, bowls, tint brushes, etc.) locally, then shopping online will quickly become your best friend. Not only can you take your sweet, sweet time reading product descriptions and user reviews, but you can also stumble upon some truly amazing deals on the internet that may not be available in physical stores – and who doesn’t love a good bargain, am I right?

Hair With Flair

If you dream about wearing the same rosy hairdo as your favorite anime character or turning heads with an unapologetically pink mohawk, don’t be afraid to take the plunge. As long as you’re happy with your hair color, it shouldn’t matter what anyone else says or thinks about it. Sadly, lots of jobs and educational institutions do try to place limitations on people (their students and employees, respectively) in regard to wearing “distracting” or “unprofessional” hairstyles, which typically include those featuring blindingly bright, unnatural colors.

Thus, a great many individuals who would love nothing more than to play around with outrageous colors are plainly, sadly unable to live out their hair-related fantasies in that way. If you have the desire and you currently have a life situation that allows for loud, obnoxious hair colors, why not take advantage of that while you can? Enjoy yourself, fall in love with your look. There’s no time like the present to embrace a sassy, new hairstyle and feel rejuvenated by it.

Perhaps pink wasn’t the color you had in mind, my friend. Well, then, how about purple? How about red or blue? There is no shortage of options to explore! If you feel as though you can’t make a decision without test driving a handful of color choices to gain some perspective, you could snag a tube of temporary pink hair dye at your leisure (the kind that washes out with one or two shampooing sessions) and see how it looks.

When that color fades, either try another one or use a semi-permanent dye to solidify the shade that tickled your fancy (as much as it can be solidified with a semi-permanent dye, that is; too bad I have yet to see a permanent pink hair dye for sale anywhere, ever). Wigs and colored extensions might be a couple of alternate possibilities to consider, if you sincerely cannot fathom the idea of bleaching and dyeing your precious locks.

Remember: makeup looks are generally built around – and designed to enhance – the natural beauty of the pigments that Mother Nature selected to color your hair, eyes and skin. So, when dealing with a head full of pink hair (or orange hair, or green, or any other delightfully uncommon color), a little bit of focused thought and consideration must be given to the increased potential for icky color schemes and clashing shades in the makeup department.

Your eye shadow and lipstick choices could cleverly complement or totally derail the chic allure of your freshly hot pink hairstyle, so be careful not to overdo it; less is more. (Before you leave cutie-pie.net, skim through my basic eye makeup tutorial or check out my smokey eye makeup tutorial to gather some helpful tips). Good luck, have fun, stay cute!

Dyeing your hair purple (or green, or blue…) is a fun and relatively easy way to change your look dramatically without actually doing anything majorly drastic or irreversible to your appearance. Because hair is kind of like a renewable resource that refreshes and replenishes itself over time, a little bit of spontaneity and craziness in regard to hairstyle and hair color choices can generally be enjoyed without too much worry about long-term consequences.

Unfortunately for those of us with tight budgets, however, paying someone at a salon to take a mighty heap of thick, luscious locks from brown or black to vivid purple is likely to cost quite a bundle. In some cases, they may not even stock the necessary supplies for crafting an unnaturally colored look (there’s probably not a lot of demand for bright purple hair dye coming from the majority of the clientele).

On the other end of the spectrum, there is the option to process your own hair in the comfort of your own home, which is frequently perceived as being somewhat risky – but that perception is probably not entirely deserved. Sure, it’s possible to make a mistake that could result in temporary baldness or scalp irritation, but it’s also not that difficult to read and follow simple directions pertaining to the dyeing process.

Always refer to the instructional pamphlet included with the particular brand and formula of neon purple hair dye or light purple hair dye or whatever you are using – it’s not a case of “one size fits all.” Horrific, hideous blunders caused by pure negligence are obviously avoidable blunders, so don’t be skipping any directions, plain and simple; err on the side of caution.

To Bleach Or Not To Bleach

You may be wondering where to buy purple hair dye for dark hair, but the truth is that there’s not necessarily any such thing. See, the best purple hair dye for dark hair is the best purple hair dye for light hair, too, because the dye itself is not responsible for lifting dark pigments out of the silky strands to which it is applied – in fact, that should already be done and over with before any permanent or semi-permanent purple hair dye ever hits your hair shafts.

Unless you happen to have incredibly pale hair that’s almost white in color, you will need to enlist the assistance of a popular and potent product known as bleach (not to be confused with the household cleaner). If you want a bright, bold, true purple to be your result – as opposed to some rich, subtle highlights – then bleaching is simply non-negotiable.

The most challenging part of dying your hair purple at home will be trying to bleach the existing colors out of your tresses without harshly frying, irreparably drying or utterly destroying them. Sadly enough, a certain degree of damage is to be expected whenever you’re dealing with bleach or dye. Bleach is far more chemically abrasive than dye and should be used very sparingly, and always in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or the guidance of a qualified professional.

If you were to lose all of your hair because of a horrendous mishap with chemicals and processing (which is extremely unlikely, by the way), it would almost definitely be related to the bleaching part of the procedure, not the dye. However, following the manufacturer’s instructions virtually guarantees your success, so there’s no cause for alarm.

I Just Dyed In Your Arms Tonight

After bleaching your hair to the lightest possible shade, you may need to apply a toner like Manic Panic’s Virgin Snow or Wella’s White Lady in order to remove any lingering oranges or yellows or other brassy tones from the equation. You’ll want to eliminate as much color from your hair as you can realistically eliminate, leaving it in a state of snowy, white-blond paleness.

Rinse thoroughly and towel dry to remove all traces of toner before massaging a tub or two of Manic Panic hair dye throughout your soon-to-be-supremely-sassy locks (while wearing latex gloves to protect your hands from staining). Keep a lid on potential messes by laying towels on the floor beneath your workspace to catch unauthorized drips, and be sure to cover your hair with a disposable shower cap or plastic grocery bag while the color is processing.

Manic Panic is always my first choice for outrageously colored hair dye, and that’s partially because their formula is so gentle on the hair. In my experience (and in the experience of many “dyehard” friends of mine), it is completely safe to leave Manic Panic dyes sitting on your hair for hours and hours at a time – the longer, the better, in fact; let your dye soak in overnight, if you can.

Upon rinsing, it’s reasonable to expect that your bathtub will wrestle with some temporary staining issues, but don’t worry too much about that because the snappy tint will fade in time. Pillows and hats are also subject to picking up wayward pigment (and never letting go of it), so keep that in mind as well, and plan accordingly.

A semi-permanent purple hair dye is probably the longest-lasting product you will be able to find. Bummer though it may be, semi-permanent is as good as it gets for the moment. As far as I know, there’s no legitimately permanent purple hair dye currently on the market (and I have gone hunting for such items, so that is saying something).

Manic Panic dyes and similar colorants will fade gradually as the days and weeks pass, becoming lighter and lighter with each wash. Color maintenance can be a serious pain in the neck, if you’re not efficient about it. To preserve bold colors and improve the general health of your hair, limit shampooing to once or twice per week. Initially, your hair might feel greasy and dirty because of the change, but it will ultimately adjust to your new routine.

Picking The Perfect Purple

Manic Panic’s Purple Haze is a deep purple hair dye with rosy, crimson undertones. It’s a classic, regal sort of purple that fades into a super adorable pinkish color after several washings. The pigment in this purple is particularly strong, according to its developers, and it has earned a reputation for being one of the longer-lasting shades offered by this brand.

When applied to natural browns and blonds, Purple Haze can produce gorgeous highlights ranging from the barely noticeable to the stunningly bold. If you’re looking for a bright, deep, vivid plum, then this color might be the right up your alley. It’s available in Manic Panic’s traditional cream formula (which has been around forever), as well as the newer “amplified” cream formula that costs more and is supposed to last around thirty percent longer than the original.

Ultra Violet is another semi-permanent purple hair dye created and distributed by the lovely people at Manic Panic. It’s louder, lighter, brighter and more vibrant than its sophisticated sister, Purple Haze. Because the pigment is not tremendously deep and dark – but rather more luminous and intense – it’s not likely to produce much of an effect when used on brunette hair that hasn’t been heavily lightened beforehand.

Available in both the classic cream and amplified cream formulas, this dazzlingly brilliant hair color was actually used to dye Milla Jovovich’s movie star locks for the film “Ultraviolet” back in 2006 (and the dye is worlds better than the movie, I promise). Grab this shade if you’re in the market for a semi-permanent purple hair dye with a blueish base. This shade is a rich, powerful, true violet with a ‘tude.

Electric Amethyst is a fresh, intriguing, neon purple hair dye that – believe it or not – literally emits a subtle glow when exposed to black light. It is only available in Manic Panic’s much-beloved, long-adored standard cream formula at the present time, and it’s worth noting that this pigment usually works best when applied to properly bleached, properly toned hair.

Although Electric Amethyst is technically the lightest and the palest of the purple dyes listed here, it definitely doesn’t leave anything to be desired in terms of vibrancy or luminosity. It really packs a punch! Released in May of 2011, this color is comparatively new and still finding its place among the pack. Choose Electric Amethyst as your dye du jour if a lively, energetic, eye-catching purple is your heart’s desire.

Do Your Thing, Cutie

As far as I’m concerned, oddly colored hair is the bee’s knees. My dear, if you’ve got the urge to dabble in captivating dyes and lose yourself in a sea of scintillating hues, don’t fight that urge – but bring some common sense along for the ride, always; remember to read the instructions carefully every time, read ‘em like it’s going out of style. If you are appropriately cautious and reasonably knowledgeable about bleach and hair color practices, there simply isn’t much of a downside to indulging that nagging impulse to color your hair in a bold and crazy way.

Even in the unlikely event that you absolutely hate the results of your earnest dyeing efforts, a worst case scenario would involve dyeing over it with a darker color or simply waiting for your silky mane to grow out again. So, why not buy some dye and bring the funk? You’ve got nothing to lose – and a whole lot of sweet, groovy purple to gain.

Once you have decided what to do about your secret yearning for a head full of vividly violet locks, go ahead and saunter on over to my smokey eye tutorial, or check out my Urban Decay eye palette reviews. Your eye makeup (the eye shadow part of it, in particular) is another area where your signature style can truly shine through, if you’ll let it, and there’s a boatload of potential for creativity and experimentation in that realm because eye makeup simply washes off at the end of the day – virtually no commitment necessary.

If you don’t know how to apply eye makeup at all, there’s a tutorial for that, too! As per usual, cutie-pie.net‘s got you covered. (There’s even a comprehensive tutorial for dyeing your hair pink instead of purple; can you believe it?) Good luck, ladies. May the cute be with you!

There are only a handful of cosmetics companies I trust to consistently deliver fantastic products that greatly exceed my expectations, and Urban Decay is definitely one of those companies. Their pricing tends to be fairly reasonable, especially in comparison to some other makeup manufacturers of the high-end sort.

Whether you’re buying the brand online or in a mall somewhere (at Sephora, in case you were wondering), you’re very likely to find a bundle or deal or special offer of some kind that’s intriguing and up for grabs. Take advantage of any tempting sales that work in your favor and, over time, you could manage accumulate a truly massive makeup collection for only a small fraction of what it’s actually worth.

I don’t know about you, but I’m super obsessed with Urban Decay eye shadow palettes, in particular. Honestly, I find them so incredibly fetching that I can hardly resist the urge to buy every new one they roll out, even when it may mean a few duplicates in my library of colors. No joke, buddy!

I mean, I feel like my eyes instantly glaze over and I start to breathe all heavily (y’know, like a mesmerized caveman watching fire) whenever I see an Urban Decay palette that I don’t already have – and then a voice in my head starts urging me to “buy, buy, buy,” regardless of what my struggling bank account might or might not prefer. But you can never own too many of these puppies, right? (Hehe, ok… maybe you can.)

Below, you’ll find a trio of reviews detailing my most recent Urban Decay eye palette purchases, as well as some photos of the items in question, taken by yours truly. Each product has been evaluated for general awesomeness using the same set of criteria: design and functionality of the case; selection and quality of the included eye shadows; bonus items (if applicable) and other points of interest.

So, if you’re looking into buying one of these palettes or snagging a similar shadow collection from the same brand (or if you just like to read cosmetics reviews and look at pretty pictures of makeup for fun, like I do), then you’ll definitely want to stay tuned and soak up all of the juicy tidbits that lie ahead. Let’s get started, shall we?

Urban Decay Summer Of Love Palette – I’m Head Over Heels

My first impression of the case for this eye shadow palette is that it’s really cute and colorful, and I feel like it has a very seventies type of vibe to it. The top and bottom feature some groovy, psychedelic patterns with lots of vibrant colors and weird shapes.

On the inside, there’s a field of illustrated, stylized daisies decorating the space around the eye shadow pans, and the lid features a rectangular mirror framed with a black and white photograph of several unidentified, smiling people – people who are happily living it up in the seventies, I presume. (Who are these guys, anyway?) The case is quite sturdy and well-made – and, thanks to its strongly magnetized closure, it won’t open without express authorization while stored inside your purse or backpack or pocket.

This Urban Decay eye palette contains four different eye shadow colors, each one being a standard shade that is also available for purchase individually, anytime (although buying their shadows in palette form does provide a significant discount). They’re called Flash, Maui Wowie, Chopper and Smog.

Flash is a semi-sheer, iridescent grape shade – rather bright and intense – with a velvety smooth texture; Maui Wowie is a medium, antique gold with chunky, silver glitter that feels slightly gritty to the touch. Chopper is a deep, smooth, coppery apricot with silver micro-glitter; Smog is a very pretty, dark bronze with copper undertones. The set also includes a miniature 24/7 eye pencil in Bourbon and a miniature Primer Potion in Sin, which is a pretty nifty bonus.

Urban Decay shadows are known for their outstanding quality and excellent color payoff, so I’m not the least bit surprised to discover the high level of performance delivered by this collection; that’s pretty much a given with Urban Decay cosmetics. Although, aesthetically, I really like Maui Wowie a whole lot (heck, I might even go so far as to say that it’s my favorite of the bunch), there are certainly some practical issues regarding moderate glitter fallout which, truthfully, leave a little something to be desired.

Thankfully, the micro-glitter woven throughout Chopper tends to be quite a bit better at staying put. All things considered, it’s a totally worthwhile shadow collection. I would recommend the Summer of Love palette to any Urban Decay fans who don’t already own the included colors, or to any curious newbies who are interested in sampling what the brand has to offer.

Urban Decay Vegan Palette – Cute And Cruelty-Free

The entire Vegan Palette is decorated with a crisp, artsy, engaging design that features many cute and interesting animals set against a cardboard-colored background. Some of the creatures are illustrated in color, while others appear in shades of black and gray. The overall effect is very chic, fresh and unique.

On the front of the case, a seemingly handwritten, cursive headline declares, “We don’t do animal testing. How could anyone?” These drawings and decorations continue to the inside of the case where a handy mirror has been built into the lid for the sake of convenience. The case is remarkably durable and well-constructed, and it closes extremely tightly and securely using a couple of magnetized strips that are cleverly hidden from view, somewhere inside the box.

There are six eye shadows featured in this set: Minx is a multifaceted, aquamarine color with tiny pieces of teal glitter; Urb is a relatively mellow, mossy green with shimmering golden overtones; Gunmetal is just what you’d probably imagine it to be: a dark, deep gray with a silver sheen; Twice Baked is a rich and chocolatey brown with subtle sparkles; Smog (which you may remember from the previous palette) is an intense, coppery bronze with a sassy hint of gold shimmer; last, but not least, Half Baked is an almost-metallic medium copper shade with super high shine. Like the Summer of Love palette, the Vegan Palette comes with a miniature 24/7 eye pencil – in Zero, this time around – and a miniature Primer Potion in Sin.

I’m loving this Urban Decay eye palette because the colors are gorgeous (well, that’s nothing new), and they all work really well together; it’s a smart compilation of shades. The case is freakin’ nifty, too (my favorite part is the sweet, adorable, precious chihuahua on the front cover, haha; what a little cutie).

I feel like this set is truly a great bargain – even if you don’t count the free extras – because it offers a hefty helping of Urban Decay’s costly eye shadows at a price that’s significantly lower than the usual. Depending on where you purchase them under everyday circumstances, the individual pots of Urban Decay shadow can run you close to twenty dollars a piece. In this scenario, we have the opportunity to snag six popular colors for the cost of two, give or take a few bucks. Hey, what’s not to like about that?

Urban Decay Sustainable Shadow Box – Going Green Gets Glamorous

This palette features a wonderfully inventive and unique case that is constructed mostly out of bamboo, which is growing in popularity as a “green” construction material because of its attractive appearance and overall eco-friendliness. A swirly, nature-inspired design is printed across the top of the case in black.

The palette is held together by a metal bolt in the top, left corner; it swivels open horizontally in any direction, rather than opening vertically like a traditional eye shadow container. Inside, there’s a small, rectangular mirror next to the assortment of eye shadow colors. Everything is neatly positioned in a plain, light purple tray that serves as a nice contrast to the busyness of the outer case designs.

The Sustainable Shadow Box offers a scintillating selection of ten different eye shadow shades, many of them containing dazzling heaps of lovely, twinkling glitter. (Yes, you’ll want to be vigilant in regard to fallout and quickly nip any unsightly issues in the bud, that’s for certain.)

Now, we’re already familiar with Half Baked and Twice Baked because they happen to be components of the Urban Decay eye palettes described earlier in this reviewing extravaganza, and they’re both included in the Sustainable Shadow Box as well. Flash (the purple color from the Summer of Love Palette) also makes an appearance. The other colors in the set are Uzi, Kiddie Pool, Oil Slick, Grifter, Flipside, YDK and Midnight Cowboy Rides Again.

Kiddie Pool is a sky blue with little pieces of iridescent glitter; Uzi is a silvery, white shadow with serious metallic accents and large, iridescent sparkles; Grifter is a pinkish lilac that’s sheer and loaded with silver micro-glitter; Oil Slick is a true, inky black with not-so-subtle sprinklings of silver sparkles; Midnight Cowboy Rides Again is a creamy beige shadow with shimmery, golden overtones and a mixture of bronze, gold and silver glitter pieces; YDK is a soft, shimmering mocha-bronze hybrid laced with gold micro-glitter. As for freebies and bonus items, this collection comes with a small brush that’s good for detailing and moderately precise color application work, as well as a miniature Primer Potion.

Sadly, it’s necessary to utter a few critical words about Uzi, specifically. As much as I would love to proudly profess that I use and enjoy every Urban Decay product I own, I have to admit that there are a couple of duds out there; unfortunately, Uzi is one such dud, as far as most gals are concerned (myself included).

The problem is that the this shade is so full of glitter that there’s almost more glitter than shadow in the pan. You cannot avoid the hellacious blizzard of sparkling fallout when you use it, even with a primer and proper application technique and everything else; applying it wet doesn’t solve the problem, either. In short: beware. Use Uzi at your own risk because it’s a serious glitter bomb. I would highly recommend that you don’t experiment with this color when you’re headed out to a job interview or something else important – unless that job interview is for a position as a go-go dancer, perhaps.

All in all, I think this Sustainable Shadow Box could be a pretty great buy for anyone who is newly interested in Urban Decay eye shadows – and the long-time, diehard fans will also enjoy this set, no doubt. In the latter case, however, it would be a very wise idea to double-check your collection before purchasing any new palettes, in order to do some simple inventory evaluation and color comparison.

Why’s that? Well, it is really easy to end up with a million pans of the same color when you’re out there buying Urban Decay palettes indiscriminately. For those of us with budget concerns, it may be more meaningful to pick and choose items that are not redundant in terms of the included colors. Of course, that’s not a criticism of this particular collection, just a helpful hint to keep in mind the next time you’re standing by the makeup counter, reaching for your wallet.

Final Thoughts On Urban Decay Eye Goodies And Looking Like A Million Bucks

As per usual, I’m wholly satisfied with my Urban Decay purchases and very much looking forward to creating all sorts of fun, colorful eye makeup looks using these new shadows. Although the palettes reviewed in this article are likely to disappear from the scene at some point in the not-too-distant future (it seems like most, if not all, of Urban Decay’s palettes are only available for a limited time), this ultra-hip brand is guaranteed to continue releasing a steady stream of sexy eye shadow collections in their place for many years to come. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to pick up some Urban Decay shadow and give it a spin, just go for it. Dive in! You won’t regret it.

Learning how to apply eye shadow properly is an undeniably integral part of making any palette or shadow duo or individual color choice look good. Without a decent grasp of the fundamentals behind beautifying your eye area, you are likely to experience some unsightly missteps that cannot rightly be blamed on the fine folks at Urban Decay.

Be sure to take a peek at my basic eye makeup tutorial or my smokey eye makeup tutorial if you’re hungry for a yummy helping of detailed, easy-as-pie makeup instructions and uncomplicated, creative suggestions designed to inspire. Either one is a great place to get started if you’re not actually sure how to make use of eye products like the ones described above.

For quite a while now, the smokey eye has been a popular fixture among some of Hollywood’s sexiest and most fashionable starlets. Picture it: a busty babe strolls down the red carpet in a slinky dress, on her way to the latest premiere or awards ceremony. She pauses, smiles at the sea of cameras before her and offers a mischievous wink, her gorgeously smokey eye makeup adding the final notes of sparkle and pizazz to an already undeniably glamorous ensemble. It happens all the time!

Naturally, we non-celebrity types want to get in on some of that sweet action, too. But, nine out of ten times, it winds up being really difficult to figure out how a certain eye shadow look was created just by staring at the finished product and trying to guess at what went where.

Most women don’t have the luxury of a makeup artist preparing them to face the world each day, either, so that doesn’t leave a ton of amazing options for the average person to get some assistance with learning to replicate those fancy, professionally applied eye makeup schemes.

Secrets Of The Smokey Eye

Thank goodness for tutorials like this one, ha! They’re the key to copying existing looks and learning new makeup tricks nowadays, in my opinion (unless you can go to beauty school or learn directly from a savvy friend).

I’m happy to offer this little guide featuring my two cents along with a number of useful smokey eye tips, and I hope it will be of help to any confused or perplexed parties who are itching to get some sultry, smokey goodness going, but feeling kind of clueless in terms of where to start. (Be sure to check out my regular, non-smokey eye makeup tutorial as well, if you’re curious about traditional color placement.)

First off: what defines a smokey eye? What’s the difference between smokey eye makeup and a regular, everyday eye shadow look? Well, it has to do with where and how the pigments are applied to your lid and crease areas. With a typical eye shadow layout, the darkest color in the scheme is generally applied to the crease and the outer corner of the eye, while a – usually lighter, possibly brighter – contrast shade is applied to the remainder of the lid.

When you’re working with a smokey eye look, the boldest, deepest, most vibrant color frequently dominates the entirety of the lid, then gradually fades into a related color which occupies the crease, which then gradually fades into the highlight shade of your choosing.

A Solid Foundation

Begin by smoothing an even layer of eye shadow primer across your whole eye area, from brow bone to upper lash line. Pat and smooth some primer just below your lower lash line if you plan to bring the smokey color around from your top lid, or if you want to do a slightly smudgy eye liner look on the bottom using moistened shadow, or if you want to do a smidgen of both.

Wipe away any disobedient primer that works its way onto your eyelashes, as it can stick your lashes together and hold them that way when it dries (which is not the end of the world, but still pretty darn annoying).

Pick a rich, bold color to occupy the lid. Then, pick a corresponding eye shadow base (like one of Stila’s smudge pots, a greasepaint stick from MAC, or any semi-greasy colored eye liner you happen to have lying around) to apply underneath it for added depth, opacity and color enhancement.

If you’re using a totally opaque, matte shadow as your lid color, you can probably skip the base (but not the primer, of course). In this particular smokey eye makeup tutorial, we’ll say that the primary eye shadow color is a shimmery gunmetal gray with silver accents, and the crease color is pitch black with tiny flecks of silver glitter.

Use a brush with squat, dense bristles – as opposed to bigger, fluffier ones – to smear a layer of your Stila smudge pot or MAC paint pot color (or whatever you chose) evenly across the eyelid as a base. If you’re using something that comes in stick form, simply draw the base layer onto your skin instead of painting it there.

For this black and silver smokey eye look, we’ll want to snatch up an inky black, gunmetal or charcoal-colored product to act as our foundation. Regardless of your preferred application method, take care to ensure that the base color is blended out evenly and uniformly distributed from upper lash line to crease, reaching all the way to the inner and outer corners of your eye.

Soften the harsh edge of your eye shadow base by sweeping a blending brush across it several times, pulling a small amount of color upward into the crease as you do. (Remember: we’re almost always aiming for seamless transitions, as far as eye shadow looks are concerned! Proper blending is key.)

Pat a healthy amount of the color scheme’s primary pigment onto your lid, over the opaque base, covering it completely. Make use of a brush with very thickset bristles that can pick up and pack down a lot of pigment. Once again, buff out the edge areas for a moment or two, fading a tiny amount of shadow color up into the crease as you work.

Smoke Signals

Now, here’s where the truly smokey part of this smokey eye tutorial gets underway: it’s time to grab that brush and deposit a mighty pop of beautiful, smudgy color into your crease. Because smokey eyes are often worn as a dramatic nighttime look, you can usually afford to be tastefully provocative and subtly avant-garde with your color choices and application techniques (much more so than in the daytime, anyway). Walk the line, and have fun with it. I have to say, I personally feel that nighttime is the “right time” for copious amounts of shimmer and glitter. Whee!

Get started with a conservative smattering of the matte black eye shadow on your brush. Tap the business end of the brush over your shadow’s container to release any excess powder; you’ll want those loose particles of pigment to fall out preemptively, in the pan where they belong, as opposed to having them dropping onto your cheeks and smearing everywhere later, as you innocently attempt to craft a cute makeup scheme for your date or family reunion or whatever the case may be.

Gently but firmly press the pigment into your crease, a little bit at a time, until you start to achieve the desired level of dark smokiness. Each time you apply another layer of shadow there, blend it out very thoroughly at the ends.

This color will fade up into the highlight on your brow bone, which is likely to be a light or sheer shadow that doesn’t cover much of anything at all; thus, it’s very important to blend and blend and blend until your edges are smooth and perfect, especially when dealing with unusually dark eye shadows like the kind used for smokey eye looks.

The Highlight Of The Affair

Apply a creamy or sheer off-white shade on your highlight area to complement the color scheme; a harsh, true white would probably be a tad too abrasive for this smokey eye look. An almost-nude shadow could be complementary as well, so give it a try.

Consider using matte shadow on your brow bone if the rest of the look is outrageously sparkly, just to help balance things out. Carefully blend the highlight shade downward from your brow to meet with the pigment fading upward from your crease, and do your best to create a seamless union between the two. Don’t stop blending until you’ve managed to achieve a perfectly smooth gradient effect.

The lighter color you selected for your brow bone highlight can also be applied to the inner corner of the eye for further highlighting, if you like the look of it. Depending on your preference, that off-white color could even be layered to produce a more substantial impact in the inner corner, and it could be allowed to flow onto the eyelid and lower lash line a bit.

Ultimately, it’s your call. (Ultimately, it’s your eye!) You may also wish to add a swipe or two of glitter eye liner – one of the liquid kinds with tiny pieces of glitter suspended in clear or lightly colored goo – over your inner eye highlight, in the interest of shimmer and shine and further brightening up the area.

Lower Lash Line Loveliness

If you want to add splashes of either or both central eye shadow colors beneath your lower lash line, do so incrementally, and use a small brush that allows for precise placement of pigment. The area under your bottom eyelashes is not a super large space, so it’s much easier than you might think to go way overboard down there without realizing it (I speak from personal experience, lol). Evaluate objectively as you go along, and try to stop adding color before the look becomes too heavy and Halloweenish.

You’ll probably want to bring the color from underneath your lash line up and around the outer corner of your eye also, connecting it seamlessly to whichever color is beautifying the crease. This can be done very subtly or very dramatically, depending on your taste.

To pump up the drama, you could exaggerate that outer corner with more crease color and more lower lash line color, or a semi-pointy cat eye or something similar. Remember that the rules of makeup are incredibly flexible, so you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment (in the privacy of your own home, if you’re shy) until you figure out what suits you best. Trial and error can be very constructive.

Discover Your Style

There you have it, babes: a basic blueprint detailing how to do a smokey eye look that’s perfect for evening engagements like hitting the club, bar-hopping, going on dates with sexy people, attending rockin’ concerts, and so on and so forth.

If your overall, everyday look happens to be more extreme in nature – for example, if you’re a studded and mohawked punk chick, a darkly alluring and goth gal or a headbanging heavy metal fan who wanders the streets in fishnet stockings and combat boots – you may be able to get away with the ultra-intense smokey eye makeup whenever and wherever you feel like it. At noon, in the grocery store, on an otherwise plainly styled or “normal-looking” type of individual, the blindingly glittery and deep, inky black eye makeup can appear somewhat out of place. Trust your gut.

You can easily create a daytime-appropriate smokey eye look using some of the lighter and brighter colors from your eye shadow collection, along with the very same set of instructions we followed for our evening look in this tutorial.

Instead of using gunmetal and black, maybe go with a royal purple lid and a lighter, lilac-colored crease fading into an antique white highlight; possibly try a bold, burgundy lid with a goldenrod crease that fades into a pale yellow highlight; play with the notion of navy blue lids and a cyan crease leading upward into a nude brow bone. Experiment! Express yourself! (Heck, buy some new eye shadow and go nuts!) Have fun practicing your smokey eye techniques and identifying the color schemes that work for you.