skin tags

Skin tags tend to be small growths of skin that start to hang off. It is thought that they are the result of a virus. They may be the same skin tone or slightly darker in color that the rest of the skin. Usually these tags are not dangerous to your health, but many people find them unsightly to look at. They can also hurt if they are in places where you shave regularly and scrape them during shaving. If skin tags are a problem, follow these steps and with patience you can get rid of skin tags.

1. Have your skin checked by a dermatologist. Before you start treating skin tags, have a doctor look at them. He or she will check for discoloration and any abnormalities. The doctor will also confirm which are skin tags and which (if any) are moles or other concerns.
2. Tie it off. Using a small piece of thread, tie a tight knot around the base of the tag where it meets your skin. Tie the knot tight enough that the thread stays on in the shower. After three or four days you should notice that the skin tag is turning colors and drying up because the knot you tied is cutting of blood supply to that area. Tighten the knot if possible. After a few days more, the tag and the thread should fall off.
3. Consider over-the-counter medications. There are several over-the-counter medications for removing skin tags. Some contain hydrogen peroxide and others contain anti-viral medications that dry the tag out and cause it to fall off the skin.
4. Have them cut off. One easy way to remove skin tags is by cutting them off with scissors or a scalpel. This can be done at home but the tag will bleed quite a lot and you face a risk of infection, especially if the scissors aren’t sterilized.
5. Try a topical oil.Tea tree oil is an option for drying out a skin tag for removal. Dab some oil on the tag four or five times each day. Let the oil dry before putting clothes on over the skin tag. Repeat until the skin tag is gone. This could take five days to two weeks.
6. Try letting your doctor freeze them off. Freezing is also called cryosurgery. It is a quick and mostly painless procedure that your doctor can perform in his office in just a few minutes.

If skin tags annoy you or get in your way, there are some simple ways to get rid of them. Follow these steps and you can either remove them yourself of have your dermatologist handle the effort.

By Marc Alexander

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Stop in to the Golden Goat to pick up a small roller bottle of tea tree oil to try this yourself. It generally takes one to two weeks of daily treatments to eliminate the tags, depending on size.

10 tips to stay healthy during the holidays

1) Brush your teeth often. If you get used to the feeling of a clean mouth, you will be less likely to want to put sugar and junk in it. That sugar teeth feeling is the worst! As an added bonus, you will have fresh breath at all those holiday gatherings.


2) Don't forget to eat. It's so easy to get so busy that we skip breakfast and lunch. I'm sure you can guess what happens... you head for the garbage cookies to give your blood sugar a boost. Make sure to eat every 3 hours so that the junk loses some of its allure.

Now, to make sure you do this, plan your snacks. Make them easy. Cheese, crackers, and apples. Toast or frozen waffles. Yes, those aren't the healthiest options in the world, but that brings us to the next point...


3) Avoid "all or nothing," AKA perfection mindset. We are all busy. Who has time to make steamed veggies with sesame oil every time they get hungry? NO ONE except Oprah and Martha Stewart.

If you are set on only eating healthy stuff, you are probably going to fail. And when you fail, it invites an avalanche of binging. "I can't stay on my holiday diet," you might say, "so I might as
well not try."

Give yourself permission to eat things that may not be the most nutrient-packed snacks and meals. Do the best you can in the time you're got. Aim for eating one veggie or fruit with
everything. So, mac and cheese with broccoli, PB&J with carrot, eggs with mushrooms. Hamburger, fries, and an orange.


4) Go ahead, eat the treats if you really want them! Just do something active to make up for them. Walk the dog or go to the park. It will burn a few extra calories, but more importantly -
it will make your body and mind feel good.


5) You know those stupid health "mantras" that you can never truly believe? Like, "I am thin, healthy and fit." Most people have never been able to make those work.

Try this "I am getting healthier every day." That is totally believable! Just eating a cracker instead of a cookie for less sugar and fat will make that come true. Take ten minutes to
stretch your aching legs and back before going to bed. Voila! You are getting healthier every day.

Try it - and when you fulfill that statement, you feel great about yourself.


6) GET SLEEP. For some people, not enough sleep kills the immune system. Sleep is *so* important; it's how the body recovers from stress and repairs itself.

Don't sacrifice your sleep time for holiday business. It never, ever pays off. Delegate tasks. Hire or recruit people to help you. You will never enjoy your holiday if you're sick, get mouth sores, or feel tired and cranky all the time.

Should you use an oil free facial moisturizer?

Author: Victoria S. Pedersen is a long time user and passionate advocate of natural skin care products.

On the surface, it would seem to make sense to buy an oil free anti-aging facial moisturizer but the truth of the matter is these are not ideal for your face.

Let me explain.

When we think of oil based moisturizers we think we will necessarily be using products that will clog our pores up or give our skin a heavy, greasy feeling. And sometimes this is true. However, there are some natural oils that do not clog the pores whatsoever and absorb into your skin leaving no heaviness or oily feeling.

And some of these are absolutely crucial for the skin's health, not only fighting wrinkles but moisturizing the epidermis.

Let's also not forget your skin naturally contains oils in it and this oil balance is stripped out during the course of the day from stress, and environmental pollutants.

So why do people look for an oil free anti-aging facial moisturizer? My suspicion is because the most commonly used oil in moisturizing skin creams is mineral oil, which is absolutely terrible for the skin. Mineral oil does indeed clog the pores, and can lead to a lot of problems, like acne flare-ups (even if you're in your forties), it prevents the skin from eliminating toxins effectively, and can lead to other skin disorders.

Mineral oil is used for one reason only: it's cheap! {It is also petroleum based}

Now, if an oil free anti-aging facial moisturizer isn't ideal, what kinds of oils are actually good for the skin.

Here are a couple:

Babassu - is a light, natural wax, which softens and soothes your skin. It also creates an invisible barrier to retain moisture and keep out dirt and grime. It is made from Babassu oil, from the kernel of the fruit of the Babassu palm, which grows in the Amazon. Babassu oil is beneficial for both dry and oily complexions.

Grapeseed Oil - is a potent antioxidant and also creates an invisible film on your skin, which locks moisture in. It is especially effective for repairing the sensitive skin around the eyes; it's rich in linoleic acid and several other essential oils which are necessary for skin health.

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Here at the Golden Goat, we use only non pore clogging (non-comedogenic) oils. We use grapeseed oil as the primary oil in our moisturizers. We also add shea butter and cocoa butter for the richness and nutrients they provide your skin.

sentiment from Ali Brown

I just have to share something that ticked me off today...

This afternoon I was at the hair salon getting my monthly color touch-up (gotta keep up with those roots, ladies!), and next to me a stylist's client was loudly hemming and hawing about how "bad" things are getting with the economy.

And honestly I'm rolling my eyes while I'm quietly working on my computer, because here is a well-dressed woman dropping over $200 on her hair color and who valet parked her Mercedes out front.

"Bad" -- for most of this country -- means you have one less flat-screen TV, rent instead of own, and can't afford to buy your groceries at Whole Foods.

Now, let's put this into perspective folks... "Bad" in some other countries means you could be living every day in fear of dying through starvation, or being tortured or murdered. THAT is bad. WE don't have it bad.

Hello! Let's WAKE UP people...

Please, stop listening to American "news", whose job it is to make you feel like everything is going to hell in a hand basket. TV news is not a "public service". It's a business. Fear attracts ratings, and ratings sell ads. If they told you "all is well" you wouldn't have to watch anymore.

Listen closely... The only person/thing that determines the results in your life right now, as always, is YOU.

OUR world is still full of abundance, hope, and opportunities. And we live in the best country on earth for all of those. Circumstances may shift, as they always do. Tides rise and fall, and trends come and go. It's cyclical. Such is nature, and such is life. Self-corrections are made.


Love and Success,





Ali Brown
"Live Your Good Fortune™"
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning 'Highlights on Marketing & Success' weekly ezine with 36,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.AlexandriaBrown.com

Natural Hair Color

'dye' your hair naturally, with no chemicals, no lead, no artificial dyes

Commercially available Hair Coloring

uses chemicals that remove, replace, or enhance the natural pigments in the hair shaft. There are many adverse effects that can result from their use.

• skin irritation, itching, burning, irritation, redness, discomfort
• allergies to the chemicals like PPD (p-Phenylenediamine)
• hair breakage or weakening, over-processing
• skin discoloration or drying
• unpredictable coloring (mostly with at home dyes)

As well as the undesirable effects listed above, there are more serious health concerns that are potential problems from chemical hair colorants. While there is some debate as to the reality of the problems from hair coloring, the risk simply does not need to be taken.

There are publications regarding the dangers of hair dyes including:

• An FDA study that found lead acetate in many dyes to be toxic.
• Articles that refer to the development of some forms of cancer including leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, bladder cancer, blood cancer, and multiple myeloma as a result of hair dye usage.
• Prolonged use of permanent dark hair dyes can potentially double a person's risk of getting various types of blood cancer.
• Some experts suspect that hair bleach can kill brain cells.
• A known human carcinogen, 4-ABP, was found in some home hair dyes.

Natural hair colorants

such as the plant powders Henna, Indigo, Cassia, and Amla (click on each to read more about it) can safely be used to enhance or change your hair color. They are plant powders that are mixed with lemon juice, water, and/or yogurt, in your own home, to make a paste that is applied to your hair and scalp.

Because they are natural, and do not strip the natural pigment from your hair, the color you get from these powders will depend on the color of the hair you are coloring (see chart for recommendations by hair color). For instance, henna alone used on white hair will produce red, while straight henna on brown hair will result in auburn hair.

These powders are safe to use on chemically treated or dyed hair, also. They are safe to use as often as you wish. If you color your hair with these powders and get a color that is not dark enough, you can easily deepen it with another application.

It does take a few days to realize the final color of your treatment, since the color will continue to settle into the hair shaft for a couple of days, due to the oxidation process. This natural process occurs as the plant colorants are exposed to the air similar, to how a cut apple turns brown with time.

You're likely to find that most hairdressers are "anti-henna" since they have only been exposed to "compound" hennas mixed with dyes, lead acetate or other metal fixants in them. Our powders are pure leaf powders with no fixants or anything else in it. You can be assured it is the best quality and will not give poor results.

As with any product, test for allergic reactions. You should also try the paste on a small sample of hair (take hair out of your hairbrush for this) to see what the resultant color will be on your hair.

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HOW TO USE THESE NATURAL COLORANTS

If you are using Amla, or Indigo you do not need to premix the powder with lemon juice. ONLY HENNA or CASSIA NEED TO BE MIXED WITH LEMON JUICE AND SIT OVERNIGHT. Indigo and Amla can be mixed and combined with the henna when you are ready to apply it.

Whatever combination of powders you use, follow these guidelines in mixing:

100g combined powders for short hair
200g for collar length straight hair
300g for shoulder length straight hair
500g for waist length straight hair

Please note that these are starting guidelines and your hair may need more or less.

Mix henna or cassia with enough lemon juice to make a paste with the consistency of mashed potatoes. If your skin is sensitive to lemon and is itchy after using henna, use orange juice, grapefruit juice, or a liquid that is less acidic than lemon juice.

Cover the container of paste with plastic wrap and let it rest overnight at room temperature or in a warm area. As the henna or cassia rests, the acid in the lemon juice will release the color from the plant powder. This slow, acidic release will get you the best results. If you’re in a hurry, put it in a warm place, but NOT a hot place! Your henna will be ready in two hours at 95F.

Once the paste is done sitting, stir in a little more lemon juice or a fragrant tea to make the paste about as thick as yogurt. Add a little at a time to get the right consistency.

For Indigo or Amla, simply mix with enough water to make a paste the consistency of yogurt. This does not need lemon juice. Simply use warm water, adding a bit at a time so it doesn't become too thin. Once your Indigo or Amla is mixed, you can stir all your pastes together that you plan on mixing. Make sure you stir it completely so you don't get streaked hair.

You can also apply one paste first, let it sit, rinse it out, then apply another paste to your hair at a later time. If you apply the pastes at separate times, you will get deeper or darker color.

For instance, to get a very deep black hair color, you should first color your hair with henna, then color it with indigo after the henna'd hair has dried. If you don't want as deep of a black, you can simply mix the henna and indigo together and apply as a single paste.

This process can get messy, so wear gloves to avoid tattoing yourself with the paste. You can prepare smaller amounts to cover roots between full colorings. There is medical test evidence that henna is relaxing, and can soothe headaches. The paste can feel heavy on your head if you have a lot of hair.

To apply the paste to your hair, wash and dry your hair, then comb it through. You may want to section your hair for easier application. Start at the back and work the paste all the way to the scalp. Apply the paste thickly like frosting. More henna makes a richer stain and better coverage. Bring down the next section and cover that part.

Continue until all of your hair is covered, then pile all of your hair onto the top of your head and wrap with plastic wrap. Cover with an old towel if you wish, but the towel may get dyed if the paste gets onto it. Clean off any exposed skin to avoid dyeing it.

Allow the paste to sit on your hair for 2-4 hours before checking the color. If your hair is very resistant to dye, you can keep it on longer. Find a comfortable spot and rest if you wish. If you plan on moving around, make sure you wrap the hair securely, or it will start to drip or seep out of the plastic.

Finally, wash the henna mix out of your hair. Simply rinse with warm water. You can either jump in the shower or hang your head over the tub and rinse most of it out. Finish removing the paste by shampooing the last of it out. Dry and style as usual.

Your hair will probably have a distinct odor to it for a couple of days. If you dislike the smell of the paste/powder, simmer a teaspoon of lavender bud or rosemary powder in water, strain out the plant residue, and rinse your hair with lavender or rosemary tea to combat the herb-y smell. Or, you could add cinnamon to the paste before applying it.

At first, hair dyed with henna may seem coppery bright. Don't panic. This will darken during the next several days if you used an acidic mix. Body art quality henna dyes hands and feet easily, but not your ears or the nape of your neck. If you wiped off the henna, you won't see anything at all. If you didn’t clean it up, the stain will fade in three days or so.

Your hair will take 3 days to settle into the true color. This is the oxidation process like when an apple browns when exposed to air. Be patient and do not panic. The coloring might be best done on a Friday night when you don't have plans for the weekend so you can let it settle before going back to work on Monday. Thicker, longer applications mean richer color. Apply henna like cake frosting. Get it down to the scalp.

This works on beards and mustaches, too.

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Henna

Henna powder is ground from dried leaves of the “lawsonia inermis” plant. When mixed with a mildly acidic liquid, henna will stain skin, hair, and fingernails reddish-orange. It strengthens hair, adds shine, and is anti-fungal, helping eliminate problems like dandruff, lice and ring-worm. It strengthens the hair shaft as it colors, leaving your hair shiny, healthy, and beautiful.

Henna has long been used as a natural temporary tattoo. Skin is painted with henna, and left to sit for a length of time. Then, the skin carries the color in the form of a tattoo, but fades with the sloughing of skin. It is often used overseas in wedding rituals, and much more.

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Indigo

Indigo is among the oldest dyes to be used for textile dyeing and printing. It is also a powder ground from a variety of plants, including many of the Indigofera species. It is used as a food coloring, known as FD&C Blue No. 2 in the US. The sodium salt of indigo is used as a dye in renal function testing and as a reagent in the testing of milk.

When used with henna or amla it can produce a wide range of colors, resulting in the dark hues in brunette colors. It is a basic, or alkaline, paste, unlike henna, so it does not need lemon juice to activate it. It creates strength and shine along the hair shaft.

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Amla

Amla comes the fruit of a deciduous tree, which is called as Emblica Officinalis. All parts of the plant are used for various ayurvedic herbal preparations, including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers. It is commonly used in inks, shampoos, hair oils, and for fixing dyes in fabrics. It is also taken internally for a variety of reasons.

Used with henna and indigo, it creates a softer brown. It is probably nature's best hair conditioner. Use the paste weekly to protect, strengthen, and create shine on your hair. It can also be made into an oil and applied to the hair daily. It has a smell like raw cranberries and tree bark. Amla enhances waves and curls, but can also be used on skin as a mask to tighten and firm skin.

TO USE: after the henna sits overnight, mix in the amla (1/3 to 1/2 the amount of henna that you used to start) into it, then add water to make the mixture yogurt consistency. Complete the process as listed above.

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Cassia

is an excellent conditioner for any hair, regardless of color. Cassia is a green leaf powder that smells strongly like mown grass when mixed with water. It is alkaline like Indigo, and does not require lemon juice to activate the color molecule.

It makes hair glossy and thick, shiny, silky and strong - even damaged or bleached hair. Cassia has a golden yellow dye molecule. It will not alter the color of dark or red hair, but will make gray or blond hair turn golden. You can mix it with any other powder combination, or alone, with equally fantastic effects. The conditioning effects last for about a month.

Mix cassia and henna to make shades of blond, strawberry blond and coppery red.

on the far left - plain white hair

2nd from left - white hair with cassia

2nd from right - white hair with 80% cassia and 20% henna

on the far right - white hair with 50% cassia and 50% henna

Secrets to Applying Eyeshadow

Secret #1: Blending is key

You use three different colors: The base, usually a very light taupe, a highlighter for the crease and a main color for the lid, but how to get them to look as if they merge into each other like the colors of a rainbow? The secret: Start light then go darker. Brush the base color, apply the lid color and THEN apply the highlighter. Also, don't be too heavy-handed or you'll have to start over. Extra tip: Practice makes perfect. Play with your makeup a few days before a big event.

Secret #2: Choose shadows that make the color of your eyes pop

Gone are the days when beauty experts advised against blue shadow. Matching the color of your eye with a shadow actually brings the color out (think blue shadow on blue eyes). At the same time, contrasting colors make eyes pop too (think a deep jeweled blue shadow on deep brown eyes).

Secret #3: Never cover your browbone with deep color -- unless you're doing a cover shoot for Vogue

You don't want the drama too much shadow brings. Apply shadow up to the browbone but don't apply shadow ON the bone unless it's a neutral color or a highlighter.

Secret #4: Highlighter can make or break your look

When applying dark shadow to the crease of your eye, be careful to blend only on the outside edge. Get too close to the eye and you'll cause your eyes to look teeny and beady.

Secret #5: Set shadow with a great base

Primers are super hot right now because they help set makeup that stays for hours. The secret to keeping shadow in place for hours is a shadow base.

Secret #6: Shimmer is hot, but plays up wrinkles

Shimmer makes eyes really pop, but it also highlights heavy lids, lines and wrinkles. A great look for shimmer is to create a 'nude' lid, but apply a bit of gold shimmer to the browbone. Gorgeous!

Secret #7: Smokey is great, but keep it to the lid

Making up a smokey eye? Keep color to the lid and just under the lower lashline. Don't extend color above the crease.

Secret #8: How to pair shadow with red lips

Remember the beauty rule 'Thou Shalt Not Play up the Lips AND the Mouth.' If you're going for dramatic red lips (never out of fashion), cover unsightly blue lines on lids with a concealer or shadow primer and then keep eyeshadow light.

Secret #9: Make eyes brighter with white

A dot of white shadow or pencil on the inside of the eye near the tear duct will make eyes look brighter.

Secret #10: Go for color

Taupe and lavender look great on all eye colors. Also consider mixing shades if you bought a color that's just too bold for you. Mixing an electric blue with taupe can turn out the most perfect color.

Make Your Eyes Looks Closer Together, Farther Apart, Bigger, Rounder or Oval

Not everyone is born with the perfect face. If you asked your friends most of them would say they felt their eyes were too close together, too far apart, too squinty or... well you get the picture. (I personally think my eyes are too close together).

Thankfully we live in a day where makeup can do all sorts of optical illusions. Here I list a few simple techniques using eye shadow & eyeliner to create several illusions based on your needs.

To make your eyes look...

* closer together. Most eyes look better when the emphasis is on the outer corner of the eye (or the 'v'). But emphasizing the inner corner will make eyes look closer together.
Start by sweeping a light shadow over the whole eye area. Then dust a medium color on the inner half of the eyelid and blend outward to create a natural finish. Next, line from the inner corner of the eye to the middle & then blend outward.

* further apart. If your eyes are less than an eyes-width apart, you can create the allusion of being wider set by keeping the inside corners of your eyes light and the outer edges darker. To do this, sweep a concealer one shade lighter than your skin at the inner corner of the lids. Blend well and don't forget the gray shadowy areas on the side of your nose. Take a matte eyeshadow in a medium-to-dark shade and stroke it outward and slightly upward from the middle part of your lid to the outer half of your lid. Take eyeliner and start the line just a bit in from the inner corner of your eye, tapering the line up and out, just a bit past the outer corner of the eyes.

* bigger. The key to making eyes bigger is to focus on light shades. Dark ones will make eyes appear even smaller. Sweep a light shade over lid, then shade the outer corner of the lid and the crease with a darker shade. Line the outer upper and lower lids with eyeliner making sure to taper a bit outside the eye (elongating it). Lastly, a dab of white or cream shadow in the middle of the browbone will make eyes pop. (A word of warning: make sure brows are perfectly plucked, otherwise stray hairs will stand out as if lit by klieg lights).

* less...droopy. You can lift down-turned eyes with makeup. Apply shadow to the outer corner of the lid, extending color up and out like a feline shape. Add a light highligher color to brow bone and skip the eyeliner -- it will only accentuate the 'droopy' contour. Apply mascara, concentrating on the inner corner of the eye. Lastly, you can try smudging a silver show on the inner corners of the eyes to help 'lift' them.

* less deep-set. Those with deep-set eyes have prominent browbones. To downplay browbone, sweep a light or medium-tone shade on lid, then shade in a slightly darker shade above the eye crease. Apply eyeliner from the inside of the eye, making it thicking in the middle of the eye & then tapering it towards the outer part of the lid. Apply light highlighter shade to browbone.

And lastly, here's a great eyeshadow and eyeliner trick for Asian eyes...
Since the eyelids of Asian women can seem to disappear when the eyes are open, you can add definition by sweeping a medium-toned shade across the lid & browbone. Dust under the brow with a light highlighter shade to accentuate the brow bone and then use a pencil liner to line the upper and lower lash lines. Make sure line is very fine and natural looking.

How to Choose an Eye Shadow Color

from eHow Fashion

Your eyes are the windows to your soul. Make them come alive with a touch of shadow on the lids. Don't choose a color just because you like it, choose colors that go well with your skin tone and on special occasions you can match your eyeshadow with your clothes.

• Shop for shades that complement your skin and eye color. Look for colors that softly contrast with the shade of your eyes - not colors that match them exactly.
• Choose simple, natural shades. If you opt for bright or trendy colors, be careful; they can look unnatural unless balanced with other suitable tones, and may go out of style as fast as they came in.
• Buy colors that blend well together. You want your eyes to attract the attention, not any marked lines caused by your shadow.
• Keep in mind that dark colors will minimize your eyes, while light shades will make them stand out.
• Consider soft browns and tans with sandy or pink undertones for blue eyes.
• Wear khaki and brown shades with yellow undertones for green eyes.
• Accent dark brown and black eyes with brown and charcoal shadows.

Makeup for Redheads

While a sprinkling of freckles is quite attractive, exposure to the sun can cause not only an overabundance of freckles for the fair of face, but sun spots and other discolorations as well. Keep in mind also that overexposure to the sun causes premature wrinkling. Accordingly, as a fair-skinned redhead, protecting your skin from overexposure to the sun is the first step in any beauty regime. Use moisturizers and foundation containing SPF 15 or better on a daily basis, as part of your makeup routine. Always use sunscreen and wear a hat if you are going to be out in the sun for any length of time.

And do not forget about health considerations. Because of our fair complexions, redheads are especially prone to sunburns, wrinkles and skin cancer. Rather than risk your life for a “healthy” tan, protect and make the most of your gorgeous, milky complexion. If you simply must experience the pleasures of tanned skin, then take advantage of today’s highly-advanced sunless “tanning” options. Protect your skin at all costs. Believe me, when we are in our sixties or seventies, and our sun-worshipping friends are wrinkled and have dry, leathery skin, while our complexions continue to be youthful and dewy, we will be so glad that we did.

FOUNDATION

Remember, the purpose of foundation is not to change your skin tone. Rather, it is to even out the skin tone you already have. With this in mind, choose a foundation that closely matches your skin tone and skin type. For fair-skinned redheads, a sheer foundation is a must—don’t cover up those gorgeous freckles. Blend, blend, blend, keeping in mind that a natural, not a made-up, look is the goal. Red- or pink-based foundations are often a mistake, making the complexion look ruddy and out-of-kilter. Instead, opt for a yellow- or gold-based foundation, something peachy or coral. It may take some adjustment to break away from the usual beiges, but once you get used to it, you’ll find it makes a huge difference in the glow of your complexion. And, again, make sure your foundation has an SPF of 15 or higher. To add some extra glow, brush a little bronzer in the T-area.

EYE MAKEUP

As far as eye shadow is concerned, it is true that the complexion of a redhead lends itself well to neutral tones, such as taupe. However, neutral need not be boring. Try chestnut, camel, gold, beige, honey, terra cotta, russet and raisin. Experiment with different shades of browns and peaches, blending and combining shades for a smoky or defined eye look.

Remember, every redhead is unique. Red hair comes in a wide range of shades, from strawberry blonde to deep auburn. Don't listen to the “experts” who say redheads cannot wear color. Experiment with color and step outside the ordinary. Opt for something dramatic but different, such as plums or emeralds. Use a lighter color on the brow bone to open up the eyes. In general, stay away from blues and pinks.

Redheads typically have very light eyebrows and eyelashes, making eyeliner a must to add definition to the eyes. Choose a light or dark brown or brownish-black eyeliner pencil and apply it with a light hand to make your eyes stand out more. Select a mascara which adds a lot of definition to fine or skimpy lashes, something that lengthens, thickens and fortifies. Again, browns are favored over blacks, which can wash out a redhead’s fair complexion and look too harsh. Finally, always wear sunglasses when outdoors to protect the fair and delicate skin around your eyes from wrinkling.

LIPSTICK AND BLUSH

In general, pinks and reds may not make the most of your hair and skin tone. For everyday, choose lipsticks and blushes from more neutral, natural color palettes, such as peaches. But again, experiment with color and find what works best for you. Blue-based reds, such as brick, or brown-based reds, such as toast, are exceptions to the rule. Brick or toast lipsticks and blushes add a great deal of warmth to the redheaded complexion and bring out the natural depth of a redhead’s skin tone. Try golden corals and yellow- or gold-based reds, apricots and tawny peaches. But don’t be afraid to try something different. For example, deep lavender lipstick can be very striking on a redhead.

Makeup for Blondes

The first rule of applying makeup whether blonde or brunette is finding the right foundation for you. The foundation you choose should be based on your skin tone, not your hair color. Many women use foundation or bronzers on the face to create a tanned look. Be careful though, and don not do this if it leaves an unnatural line or edge along the jaw line or hairline. A good rule when choosing the proper foundation would be to test it along your jaw line first and not the hand. Your hand is generally darker than your face, so testing on the back of the hand or wrist will not give you an accurate match. If you want a more tan or bronzed look, use earth or lighter brown shades of eye shadow and blush. You can create a natural tan look with minimum makeup this way and still get the tan look you desire.

Blondes tend to look better in shades of pink and the more earthy tones. That does not exclude them from other more vibrant colors. Some blue and lighter purple tones can add more a dramatic affect when desired. When choosing makeup, pick from the same base family of colors. Strive to have your makeup’s colors compliment each other and they will do a better job of complimenting your natural beauty.

A good day color scheme for blondes would be a pale pink eye shadow with a light rose blush and matching rose lipstick. For eye definition, brown mascara could be applied. If you are a tawnier blonde or have reddish highlights and a darker skin tone, earthy colors can work well for you. Try a soft ash or brown or beige color on the eyes with light coral on the cheeks and lips. Look for clean colors that compliment rather than change your coloring. Sheer lip colors with just a hint of shine can one of the best day looks for lips.

For a more dramatic or evening look try applying a pale silver or light gray over the entire lid then a muted lavender color up to the crease and blend slightly. Line the outside of the lower lid with smoky gray or rich mahogany eyeliner and apply dark brown mascara. A rose blush with a hint of earth colors such as a primrose, adds color to the cheeks. Finish the look with a light mocha lipstick topped with a sheer pink lip-gloss. Choose a lip liner that is just slightly darker than the color of your lipstick. Too light and you might as well not use any. If the liner is too dark it just looks garish.

Remember, there are no set rules with makeup colors as everyone has different skin tone and hair colors. Play with those blue colors you thought you would never have the courage to wear. The purpose of makeup is to show off your natural beauty and sometimes just to add your own personal splash of personality in the form of color. Have fun and experiment with color.

Makeup for Brunettes

Brunette women are lucky. We really do have the widest choices of colors available when it comes to cosmetics . Because brown hair covers such a wide spectrum, from light golden brown, to coffee bean, most women find they have an equally wide range of colors to choose from.

The first thing a woman needs to look at when choosing makeup colors if she is a brunette, is, of course, her hair color. Where does she fall on the brunette scale? Those in the lighter ranges generally do better with lighter colors, while those in the darker ranges can often carry bolder colors successfully.

Skin tone also plays a major role in a brunette’s palette. Brunettes run the gamut here, also, from a peaches-and-cream complexion, to ruddy, to porcelain, to olive. A woman’s unique combination of hair, skin and eye color will determine her best shades.

It may be easier to discuss what colors to avoid. Brunettes rarely, if ever, look good in peach. Salmon, vivid coral, maybe. But true peach? Not often. It tends to give a brunette’s skin and hair a gray cast. Peach accents, such as piping on a T-shirt, may work, but too much gives an ashen appearance. So, a brunette should avoid peach-toned blusher or base. Most brunettes wear pinks well, darker or lighter, depending on skin and hair tones. They should also usually avoid orange, mustard, chartreuse and lime greens. If a brunette has sallow or ruddy skin, these colors will tend to emphasize it — and not attractively.

Teens will want to go for trendy tones, but a mature brunette woman will want cosmetics that play up her strengths and camouflage flaws. One good example is eyeliner. A non-teen brunette will want to look at dark brown, navy, charcoal, smoky blue or black eyeliners, with a preference going toward the brown and smoky tones. These define the eyes and make them “pop” without looking too stark.

Regardless of hair color, women should go with as neutral a base as possible. They should aim for one that closely matches their skin. Wearing a pinker tone to reduce sallow skin, or a yellowish one to reduce ruddiness rarely works. Remember: yellow and ruddy make orange. Less desirable skin qualities can be camouflaged better with powder and a good blush.

Eyeshadow is another area where the color is limited mainly by the brunette’s imagination. In general, eyeshadow should match, or not compete with, the colors a woman is wearing at the time. Blue and green should be used carefully and sparingly, but there is a whole rainbow available, otherwise. Most brunettes should have a warm brown and a light tawny shade in their arsenal of eyeshadows. These colors match almost any outfit or situation. They will usually not compete with anything. A brunette should also have a plum shade and a lavender and a pink shade in the palette, as well. Armed with these colors, she can go anywhere!

Lipstick pulls together a woman’s makeup. Lipstick should be chosen in consideration of hair, skin, clothing and occasion. Most brunettes wear red well. They may look better in reds that have a warmer undertone or a cooler one, but every brunette should have a knockout red lipstick in her cosmetic case. A good, solid pink or rose is usually a good brunette choice. Brunettes should not choose lip colors that are so neutral as to make the lips blend in with the rest of the face. With darker hair, this makes their faces appear unbalanced. A blonde might be able to get away with very neutral lips, but brunettes must have some color.

A neutral lipliner is good as a base for most colors. It gives the lipstick something to cling to and helps it last longer. Brunettes should generally aim for clear colors. They can be soft, even “smudgy,” but should never be muddy. Brunettes (and all women) should choose colors that make the most of their good points, and minimize their flaws with subtlety.

How to Apply Foundation

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS: As a rule of thumb, “lighter” products are best for day or casual wear, while “heavy” products are best reserved for dressier occasions. This is mainly because, while the heavier products have better coverage, they also are worse for your skin. They can get into and clog your pores, prevent your skin from breathing and cause blackheads and pimples. Once in a while when you want that flawless, heavy-duty coverage, you may want to use them, but you should steer clear from them on a daily basis.

When choosing any type of foundation or powder, always make certain that it matches your natural skin tones. Don’t use make-up to attempt to make your skin look lighter, or darker– it will only serve to look unnatural. When buying foundations and powders, it is best to go to a store where you can try on samples. Go with your face clean and ready for application. If you are already wearing make-up, it will not give you a good idea of what the product will look like on your clear skin. Always test base make-ups on your face, preferably the jaw line. Testing on your arm or hand will give you a false reading and usually result in the wrong color.

Heavier, cream foundations (which are usually oil-based) and pressed or pancake powder can give a near flawless-looking appearance on film or at night in the atmospheric lights of restaurants, theaters and clubs. However, in broad daylight, these products appear unnatural, and they only last a few hours before beginning to run, streak, or cake. They also are so heavy they can make you feel like you are wearing a mask.

Liquid, sheer, water-based foundation and loose, foundation mousse, and translucent powder qualify as lighter make-up. These give your own natural look a lift without being too dominating, and without making your face feel like it has been frosted. They are the best choice for daily use.

For heavier coverage of problem areas on a daily basis, use a cream concealer. The type of concealer you will need will depend upon the skin problem you have. For ruddiness and blemishes that are pink or red, choose a green-based concealer. Green is on the opposite end of the color wheel than red, and opposites neutralize the effect of the other. For dark, bluish circles under the eyes or bruises, use a peach (for light skin) or mauve (darker skin) color-based concealer. If you have problems with scars or a birth mark, you will want to find a concealer that is completely opaque.

PREPARE YOUR FACE: Before applying any base coverage, you should wash your face with a gentle cleanser, rinse well with water, and pat dry. Next, cleanse your face lightly with a good toner to close pores and create a nice palette for your makeup. Then, apply a water-based, light moisturizer. Preparing your skin this way will ensure the most even coverage possible, and reduce the possibility of caking as the day goes on.

APPLICATORS: For liquid, mousses, creams, and pancake make-up, applicator sponges are the best option. They help blend the product better than your fingers. For a lighter application of water-based liquid, or for heavy pancake coverage, the sponge should be damp. Wet it then ring it out well before applying. For mouses and creams, or liquids when you desire a slightly heavier coverage, leave the sponge dry.

For translucent powders, or pressed powders when going for a light, casual look, use a large, clean blush brush to apply. Don’t use a brush that has recently been used for blush, as it will tint your powder unevenly. Use a new brush, or one that was recently washed and thoroughly dried.

Concealer can be applied with a sponge applicator for wider areas (such as your cheeks, forehead, chin), or with your fingers for places that are creased or harder to get to (the corner of the eyes, the crease around the nostril).

TECHNIQUE: Begin by applying a dab of foundation in the center of the forehead. Use short, brisk strokes to draw it outward in all directions, as if creating a sunburst effect. Bring it out toward the hairline, blending well as you go along. Curve downwards around the temple, towards the cheeks. Draw down along the bridge of the nose.

Place another dab in the center of the nose, and draw that out in a similar sunburst fashion. Go up to blend with the line you left at the bridge of the nose, out under the eyes and over the cheeks, swooping up to blend at the temples. Bring it down toward the tip of the nose, over the nostrils and upper lip.

Next, put a dab at the chin with a dab at the chin, drawing it up to the lips, up the jaw line, blending upwards into the cheeks and down into the neckline. Then, go lightly and gently over your closed eyelids, blending in around the socket.

Make sure that all areas are blended well, and that the edge of the make-up line blends undetectably into your skin. The lighter the make-up, the easier it will be to blend it in. Heavier make up, such as pancake, may require extra dabs of make-up as you go along. It will take more effort to blend well and get even coverage.

Pancake powder will give strong, opaque coverage and will not require concealer. If you have problem areas and are using a water-based or mousse foundation, you may wish to apply concealer to the area after you have blended the foundation. Choose the appropriate color concealer for the job, smooth it over the area with a sponge or fingertips, and blend around the edge of the concealer with your fingers, pulling it further and further out as you blend. Do not rub or blend the concealer directly over the blemish or discoloration, as you will only serve to wipe most of it off and decrease coverage.

Take the translucent or pressed powder and your large blush brush. Load the brush with powder, then tap onto a tissue to remove excess. Close your eyes and gently brush the powder across your entire face. Do not press the brush into your skin, or scrub it back and forth. Simply allow the soft hairs to sweep across the flesh.

For a heavier coverage with pressed powder, use the powder puff that usually comes in the compact. Rub the powder into the puff, then dab and use brisk, short strokes to cover your face. Adhere to the contours of your face as you work it in. This will give a more opaque coating, however will feel heavier and has a tendency to cake, or streak with perspiration. This technique is fine for use in indoor, cool places, but if you are going to be outdoors in natural daylight, heavy pressed powder application can take on a slightly orange tone.

Now your canvass is ready for you to apply your colors.

Choosing a Foundation

Excerpted from The Complete Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Smart Beauty (Rodale Inc., 2004) by Paula Begoun

Finding the Perfect Color

Whether you have red hair and fair skin or black hair and dark ebony skin, the foundation must match your underlying skin color exactly. Do not buy a foundation that will make your face look even a shade or two darker or lighter or change its underlying color in any manner. Find a foundation that matches your skin perfectly and goes on softly and smoothly.

Traditionally, skin color has been defined by the basic underlying tone, described as olive, when the skin appears ashen or green in color; sallow, when the skin has a yellow or golden shade; and ruddy, when the skin has overtones of pink or red. These categories hold true for all women, including women of color; your underlying skin color will always relate to one of those skin tones.

When you're purchasing a foundation, it is important to identify your overall, exact skin color and find a foundation that matches it, regardless of the underlying tone. For the most part, regardless of your race, nationality, or age, your foundation should be some shade of neutral ivory, neutral beige, tan, dark brown, bronze brown, or ebony, with a slight, and I mean very slight, undertone of yellow.

Why a slightly yellow undertone? Because skin color, more often than not, has a yellow undertone: That's just what the natural color of melanin (the pigment in the skin) tends to be. There are a few exceptions to this rule. Native North American or South American women, a tiny percentage of African-American women, and some Polynesian women do indeed have a red cast to their skin. They need to look for foundations that have a slightly reddish cast to them--but that's only a hint of brownish red, and not copper, orange, or peach.

Although you are attempting to exactly match the skin color of your face when you choose a foundation, in some cases it is more important to match the foundation to the color of your neck. If your face is darker than your neck and your foundation matches the face, it will look like a mask because of the difference in color. The opposite is also true. If your face is lighter than your neck and you put on a foundation that matches the face, it will still look like a mask because of the difference in color. In situations like this, match the foundation more to the neck color or to a color in between the color of the neck and the face.

Once you have selected a foundation color, there is only one way to be absolutely sure it is right for you: Apply the color all over your face and check it outside in the daylight. Check it from all angles and decide if it matches your skin exactly. If you applied it carefully but there are lines of demarcation at the jaw area; or if it looks too thick or too greasy, or gives the face an orange, pink, rose, or ashen tint; or if it looks heavy and opaque instead of sheer and light, go back to the testers. In fact, you may need to test several types before you find the right foundation.

One practical guideline to narrow down your choices is to test many different colors at once. Begin with several that look like good possibilities and place stripes of each one in a row over the cheek area. The best choice is the one that blends almost perfectly with your skin color. The wrong choices will stand out, with obvious edges that don't disappear into your skin.

This technique is a reliable way to eliminate some choices, but use it only as an elimination process. Still check out the color on your face in the daylight, and blend the foundation shade over a larger area of your face.

Keep trying on foundations until you find the best one. Once you've made a selection you feel good about, apply it all over your face, wait at least two hours, and check it again in the daylight.

If you prefer to wear a sheer, thin layer of foundation or don't want to wear foundation all over your face, then a moisturizer with sunscreen must be worn underneath. To ensure your foundation with sunscreen is protecting you all day, consider setting your makeup or touching up your makeup during the day with a makeup setting spray.

• Look at the natural color of your skin. Even if you dislike its shade, working with it by choosing a color that matches will look better than trying to lighten or darker it.
• Consider buying two shades, so that you can use a slightly darker color in the summertime if you tan easily.
• Choose a foundation with undertones in the shade that matches the undertones of your skin. For most people, this is either yellow or pink.
• Test the foundation on your forearm. The makeup should basically disappear, while working to cover slight blemishes.
• Choose a foundation and concealer from the same product line to make sure they match perfectly.
• Remember that liquid foundation usually looks darker in the bottle than on the skin.
• Test the foundation on your face at a makeup counter if possible.

Mineral Makeup

During the month of November, we will focus on mineral makeup, application, colors and more. Today, we will go over the basics...

Do you have sensitive skin? Do you tend to have reactions to the chemicals in your regular make-up? Many make-up companies use fillers and talc, along with fragrances. Maybe it’s time to try something new. Mineral make-up is creating a beauty revolution. Mineral make-up is so gentle you can even sleep in it and not worry about damage to your skin. Mineral make-up is non-comedogenic and won’t block pores. The product is inert so that means it won’t harbor bacteria if kept dry in the container.

If you have a daughter who is just starting to experiment with make-up, a wise investment would be to start her with a product that won’t aggravate her skin. Mineral make-up is dermatologist and plastic surgeon recommended. Mineral make-up has a natural sun protection factor in it.

One of the things that people love is the lightweight feel of the make-up. You don’t feel like you are wearing make-up. With foundations, they can feel caked or heavy on the skin, where as mineral make-up is practically weightless. You can easily forget you are wearing it.

Mineral make-up is concentrated pigment, often being iron oxides. It is crushed very finely and you only need a little bit. It will appear like a powder, but it is not powder or talc. It is crushed minerals. The colors can be as sheer or intense as you like, and because there is such variety, perfect shading can be found for all skin types.

Mineral make-up can be used for corrective purposes as well. It easily covers redness or can help with discoloration. Clients suffering from rosacea can use these products to even out their skin tone or lessen the redness in their skin.

Mineral make-up is easy to apply and is a very quick process. You can have perfectly applied make-up in minutes. You don’t need to be a make-up artist to learn this! With so many colors from nature, you won’t have problems choosing colors, and they will appear natural. Again, because of the concentrated pigmentation of the product, it’s up to you to apply as little as you want, and you can reapply over the area for a more intense look.

A quick tip is to invest in the brushes that are sold with the product. A good quality brush that isn’t synthetic can make the difference between a good application and a better one.

Golden Goat has a wide selection of mineral makeup and brushes to choose from to make sure you get colors that complement you. Stop in to try it on in person or order a sample size, enough for one use to try the colors out in person.

Golden Goat has mineral liquid foundation, pressed mineral foundation, and powder mineral makeup. We have over ten foundation shades to chose from to give you the best match to your skin.