Q: My makeup always looks great right after I’ve applied it but after a few hours it fades. How do you make your makeup last throughout the day?


A: The answer may surprise you…whether the product says “long-wearing” or not, you can keep your makeup looking fresh from dusk ’til dawn by using proper application techniques. The greatest trick I have learned over the years: Loose powder is your complexion’s best friend!

• Concealer-Gently dot concealer and blend using your finger or concealer brush around the under-eye area. Seal coverage by lightly sweeping the area with a small powder brush dusted with sheer, loose powder.

To try: Sonia Kashuk Barely There Loose Powder in Translucent Matte.

• Cream Blush-I am a firm believer that less is more…especially with cream products. Because of its consistency, it is the nature of cream blush to move on the face. One way to prevent this from happening is to apply a dusting of sheer loose powder over the cheeks after you have applied the blush to keep it where it belongs-on your cheeks.

To try: Sonia Kashuk Crème Blush Duo in Color My World or Brighten My Day.

• Eyeliner-Eyeliner smudges by nature, but tends to look sexier when slightly imperfect. Rather than using black, which can look harsh, I often recommend trying navy blue.

To try: Sonia Kashuk Eye Definer in Midnight. Tip: For a strong, solid line, use a liquid liner for precision and stay-put finish.

• Lipstick/Lip Gloss-There are products on the market made specifically to prevent feathering, and a secret trick of mine that I always use if I don’t have my Lip Glossing/No Feather Pencil on me is to dab foundation on your fingertip and smooth it over your lip line. This smooths out any lines around the mouth and provides an even surface for lip color to adhere…and stick to.

Q: How do I know what makeup colors work best for my coloring?

A: Here’s a surprising tip: To identify colors that will work for you, use your hair as a guide, not your eyes! If you’re blonde, go with creams and taupes. Brunettes look great in mochas and chocolate browns. If you’re auburn or a redhead, choose shades of copper and peach, or cool tones like pinks and lavenders. Gray hair looks gorgeous with tones of grays, soft purples and blues.

If you’re unsure about colors, stick to neutrals. You can still achieve drama and variety with neutral tones-they’re actually my favorite to work with. Or, to make it really simple, pick up one of my new Face Palettes, which are designed to correspond to your specific hair hue for expertly coordinated, complementary colors.

Sonia Kashuk Beauty is available exclusively at Target stores.

Do you know your best makeup colors? Beauty Expert Sonia Kashuk can help.

Who is laser hair removal suitable for?


It is not suitable for everyone. The general rule is that the hair in question must be a darker color than the skin surrounding it. If the skin is a very dark pigmentation, it you may absorb too much of the laser energy, and so the treatment is not advisable. Those who are tanned with light hair are also unsuitable. Those who are tanned with dark hair should not have the treatment until their tan has faded.

Generally speaking, it is easier to perform the treatment on someone with light hair, as opposed to someone with dark hair.

How much does it cost?

The average session costs in the region of $500. Four or more sessions are usually recommended. Large areas (such as the back) will obviously result in a larger bill, and smaller areas (such as the upper lip) won’t cost as much. Private consultations are recommended to assess the cost, as the number of sessions needed varies from person to person.

What areas of the body can hair be removed from using laser hair treatment?

Anywhere where there is excess hair. The only real exception is around the eyes. The most common areas are legs, back, bikini line and underarms.

Is it permanent?

Unlike shaving and waxing, laser hair removal is considered to be a more permanent form of hair removal, but the results differ according to the patient in question. As with all beauty treatments, do not choose the practice which offers the lowest price, as the treatment may not be of the best quality.

Although having your own business is nice, you can also work as a beauty supply store worker or be an employee at a beauty salon.


As you can see, you have a number of different jobs and career opportunities to choose from. The only thing that you need to remember is that it is sometimes difficult to get a job or run a successful business that is focused on beauty and fashion. Although it is more than possible to do so, you need to examine the competition. As beauty and fashion increase in popularity, more individuals want to work in that field. What you want to do is set yourself apart from everyone else. To do this, you may want to think about receiving the proper amount of education and training.

When it comes to receiving beauty education and training, you will find that you have a number of different options. For instance, there are two and four year colleges and universities that you can attend. These colleges and universities give you a college degree, one that is often for cosmetology. In addition to attending an accredited college or university, you can also attend a traditional beauty school. Beauty schools are often run by experts in the field and they are often more affordable to attend. While you may not necessarily receive a college degree for attending a beauty school, you should be able to walk away with a certificate of completion.

If you do decide that you would like to attend a college, university, or beauty school, to get the proper amount of beauty training, there are a number of important factors that you may want to take into consideration. One of those factors is the cost of doing so. Beauty schools can be fairly expensive to attend, especially if those schools are considered accredited colleges and universities. Yes, you may be able to financial aid, in the form of student loans, scholarships, and grants, but there are no guarantees. Before going broke trying to attend beauty school, you may want to make sure that it is a career that you are serious about. Also, if you are willing to relocate, it may be easier for you to find a more affordable beauty school or college to attend.

Reputation is also something that you should think about when looking to find a beauty school to attend. In all honesty, most colleges and universities have outstanding records; therefore, you may be making a good choice with attending one, even really any one. As for a beauty school that isn’t necessarily considered a college or university, you will want to be careful when making your choice. Some beauty schools come highly rated and recommended, but there are others that some employers are actually encouraged to stay away from. To ensure that your beauty training and education is well worth it, will help you get a job or help you start a successful business, you will want to make sure that you choose a beauty school that has an outstanding reputation.

The above mentioned factors are just a few of the many that you may want to take into consideration, when choosing a beauty school to attend. If you are interested in researching beauty schools, colleges, and universities on your own, you may want to think about turning to the internet. With a standard internet search, with a phrase like “beauty schools,” you should be able to find the online websites of numerous beauty schools, as well as colleges and universities that have cosmetology programs. If you are still in high school, you may want to think about approaching your guidance counselor for assistance.

What regulates our alternative for our very own signature scent? It depends from person to person, since our bodies have a certain chemical makeup that is unique by itself.


It is determined by our own genetic traits as well as by the lifestyle choices that we make. It is also the reason why some scents that we like to smell on others may not smell as good on our own skin.

There is an assumption floating about among biochemical experts that our choice of signature smells depends on which of our four senses – the sense of smell excluded – influences our personality. A person can either be sight-dominant, taste-dominant, touch-dominant or sound-dominant. Whatever sense drives our personality more also plays a larger role in our choice as to what our signature scent may be.

The Signature Scent for Sight-Dominant People

People who are sight-dominant are very visual. They derive pleasure from the things they see more than anything else, and they often can describe the things they see with vivid accuracy. Such people are often very energetic and full of life.

The signature scent for most sight-dominant people is either floral or fruity. Such a scent gives off a lot of energy, and such energy matches the florid personality of a sight-dominant person more than any other.

The Signature Scent for Taste-Dominant People

Food plays an important role in the lives of taste-dominant people. They do not eat food just for the sake of eating; every bite they take in is chewed slowly and savored for each and every distinguishing taste registered on their tongue. Taste-dominant people are gourmets and epicureans – they get their pleasure from eating exquisite food. They see food more than just a way to nourish bodies, and neither do they see it as something to be abused. They have a healthy respect for food.

Such people who are taste-dominant often go for signature scents that have a hint of the aroma of food in them. It is not surprising for them to choose to wear perfumes made from vanilla or chocolate, or from fruits like oranges and strawberries. They find such scents delicious.

The Signature Scent of Touch-Dominant People

Touch-dominant people love getting in close contact with other people. Whenever they talk, they often hold the arm or the hand of the person they are talking to just to make sure that they have that person’s attention. They are also creatures of comfort. They love soft things and warm things. Touching silk or velvet with their bare fingers or letting their feet sink in the sand bring so much pleasure to them. More often than not, they also have pets that they adore so much.

Such touch-dominant people are often attracted to the warm scents like musk, sandalwood or amber. Perfumes made from these bases appeal to touch-dominant people because of their innate heat and the intimacy they imply. Soft, warm and comforting scents are the signature scents of touch-dominant people.

The Signature Scent of Sound-Dominant People

People who are sound-dominant tend to love music to a fault. They can recognize the intricacies of rhythm and melody and translate it, just like one would translate a foreign language. They also love to talk, but they love to listen just as much as they love to talk, simply because they like hearing nuances in other people’s voices. Such people are also great at mimicking sounds or impersonating the way another person speaks.

The signature scents suited to sound-dominant people are spicy scents or oriental scents, made with not just spices but also with exotic flowers like the lotus or the jasmine. Such a scent has layers upon layers of complexities in it, and it suits a person who can strip away layers from something as complicated as sound.

Each person has a different signature scent. What is yours?

While the basic structure of a man’s skin may be the same as a woman’s, his skin has quite a few unique characteristics that make sharing facial products an unwise practice. For instance, even though signs of aging appear in men’s skin similarly as they do for women, they don’t necessarily happen on the same time scale.


Men’s skin also is thicker than women’s, making it tougher and somewhat more resilient. Further, the oil glands in men’s skin produce more oil than women’s, giving men more “natural” moisture.

Because of differences such as these, it’s clear that men and women have different health needs for their skin. Unfortunately, however, men’s skin care products have been limited until recently.

As more men become motivated to feel and look their best, more products that are made especially for men’s skin care needs are hitting stores’ shelves. In particular, L’Oreal, one of the leaders in

technology-driven skin care treatments, has created Men’s Expert, the first anti-aging line on the mass retail market for men.

Men’s Expert products contain what L’Oreal calls an Active Defense System, or ADS, which is a powerful combination of active ingredients that increase the skin’s resiliency and help protect it against shaving irritation.

The Men’s Expert line includes products such as Power Clean, a face wash that deep-cleans skin without drying it out; Oil Controller, an anti-shine moisturizer that zaps away oil, soothes razor burn and is designed for teenagers and young adults; and Vita Lift, an anti-wrinkle and firming moisturizer that recoups elasticity for men in their late 40s.

When we work and play in our daily lives, the daily activities will often strip our skin of this protective layer. This is why the skin can benefit from the use of a moisturizer at times. Moisturizers contain oil-soluble molecules that help to restore the skin to its natural condition.


There are hundreds of different moisturizers from manufacturers that promise to do everything from restoring your face’s natural moisture to making age lines and wrinkles disappear. If a product can really do this, wouldn’t it be in your best interest to get the best possible brand to enhance your skin? Is there really a difference in all these different products? Don’t they all basically just do the same thing? If all of our skin was exactly the same that would probably be the case. Unfortunately, the skin is a complex organ that has specific properties that are unique to each of us. Therefore one kind of moisturizer can definitely be more effective than another when it comes to treating our own special skin qualities. Knowing what goes in all these products is the key to choosing the type of moisturizer that best fits your skin type.

Most moisturizers are a combination of oil and water soluble parts called an emulsion. More recent advances include vesicles, microscopic bubbles made of biological components. These components are useful in restoring the skin’s protective layer and also carry active ingredients inside the cells. The correct use of moisturizers is important for people with dermatologic disease. Improper application of a product could lead to a worsening of the condition.

Moisturizers claim that they can restore and heal the skin but there is not a very clear definition of exactly what dry skin is. The symptoms include dry and uncomfortable sensations that include pain, itchiness, stinging, and tingling and a rough surface. Redness may also be apparent. More severe cases include dry, white patches on the skin that is flaky or cracked in appearance.

A dermatologist named Pierard stated, “Dry skin is not a unique, well-defined condition but represents a medley of totally unrelated changes in the structure of the stratum corneum associated.” In other words, the skin can become dry by the environment around you in lots of different ways.

The skin is made up of three main layers; the epidermis, which is the upper most layer, the dermis in the middle, and the layer on the bottom that also contains a layer of fat called the hypodermis. It contains nerves and blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to all other parts of the body. The dermis contains hair follicles, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands. The sebaceous gland produces an oil like substance that secretes to protect the top layer of skin. When these glands produce an excess of oil, the skin will often break out into acne.

Just below the layer of fat that surrounds the top layer of skin is the stratum corneum. These are cornified cells that are produced at the base layer of skin and act as a constant guard for our bodies by keeping foreign material out. It does this by constantly producing new cells and pushing them to the top and out the top layer of skin almost like an ocean current that washes things back to shore. Cornified cells attach themselves to the foreign matter and flush themselves up and out of the skin.

Moisturizers are combinations of chemicals that make the external layers of skin softer and more pliable by restoring the bodies’ natural level of hydration. They do this by using a variety of ingredients such as oils, humectants, emollients, lubricants, and fragrances to compose a completed product. These ingredients help our skin not only to restore the body’s natural moisture level, but can have many other effects as well.

One is that a moisturizer can help build a barrier against the loss of water the skin experiences while this protective coat gives the epidermis time to heal itself. When the environment damages the skin and makes it dry, a restoration of moisture to the skin can delay the signs of aging and help repair wrinkles and blemishes on the skin surface.

Manufacturers over the years have made bold claims on what their products can do if used on a regular basis, but understanding the skin and the environment around us is knowing that often these elaborate claims are just not possible. There are a number of products out there that are better than others, but your unique skin type is the most important factor when considering which is the best moisturizer to use on your face and body.

For the most part, dental veneers should be treated as your own teeth. That means brushing and flossing them everyday. If brushing and flossing your teeth on a daily basis is uncommon to you, you should reconsider getting dental veneers. You will find that your investment will go down the toilet faster than you can say Colegate.


Now comes the part which many will frown upon – habit adjustment. Like it or not, dental veneers will require you to adjust your eating habits. Since they are somewhat delicate, you risk fracturing them in the event that you consume hard foods. It is best to talk to your cosmetic dentist about the foods which are allowed and not allowed to consume. A little spoiler – among the hard foods include apples and hard candy.

If any of the above sounds a bit scary to you, you should seriously reconsider getting dental veneers. At nearly $1,000 a tooth, veneers deserve to be treated with utmost caution and care. Asking you to brush your teeth daily is not asking much, but changing your eating habits can be a problem for many. Before making any final determination, it is advisable that you consult with your cosmetic dentist. He or she will be able to further elaborate on everything which goes into maintaining your dental veneers.

Many people think that sweat can trigger acne flare-ups. In fact, sweating is great for congested skin–it promotes the flushing of impurities from the epidermal layer and cleans out the pores.


Moreover, vigorous exercise actually corrects the hormonal imbalances that can trigger blemishes, thus reducing the likelihood of outbreaks. How? Any physical routine that you enjoy–yoga, running, biking, spinning, pilates, boxing, etc.–lessens the stress you encounter on a daily basis, helping to prevent stress-related acne.

Exercise may not be a miracle cure-all–you may still experience breakouts from time to time–but your acne will almost certainly be less severe and of a shorter duration.

Exercise is also wonderful for other skin conditions that may not have to do with acne at all. Are you worried about your skin losing its elasticity or becoming thinner and less resilient? This is a common problem for many of us as we age. As we grow older we start to lose collagen, making us look gaunt or tired. Physical activity can actually promote the growth of collagen in your skin cells, plumping up your facial skin and making you look younger and more vibrant.

And if you’re worried about wrinkles, consider this: the relaxation that comes after a vigorous bout of exercise has the effect of making your muscles, facial muscles included, soften up. That means your lines will appear less pronounced, contributing to the youthful look you are trying to cultivate.

A smaller waist, better muscle tone, softer skin, fewer blemishes and an overall younger and fresher look? There’s really not any reason not to exercise on a regular basis!

Anti-aging is one of the latest crazes in health and beauty. No one over 30 seems to want to look their age anymore, and the result is an instant rush to any product that claims to battle the signs or effects of aging.


Not all of these products are genuine, however, and there are many unscrupulous businesses and practitioners that see a chance to make a profit from those desperate to stop the aging process. There are some clues, though, to look for when determining if a product or service that claims to aid in the anti-aging battle is a scam or not.

Anti-aging scam artists will frequently pitch claims directly to the media, without supportive medical evidence. Real claims should also have an unbiased third party review. If the seller claims that their work is being represses by the scientific community, odds are it is a scam. The claimant certainly has dollar signs in front of them, just as they claim the scientific establishment does. Also look for hot buzzwords such as “breakthrough” or “secret ingredient”.

If a given advertisement is using a ton of testimonials or anecdotes, raise the red flag. Don’t believe what you see on television or read on the internet. Unless you know the person giving the testimonial personally, do not give credence to the claim. Also, do not believe the claim that because it has been used by certain cultures for centuries it is therefore valid. The same could be said of slavery.

Watch out for any product that does not warn of side effects or that make claims that are simply too good to be true, because they most likely are. Anti-aging scams will also often use tiny print that a person watching cannot possibly read. Always beware of a stack of fine print.

These are some of the things to watch out for when considering an anti-aging treatment. If any of the above are taking place, proceed with caution before spending any money on the product. One more big scam is charging a smaller amount for a long period of time- you’ll still lose thousands for nothing, waiting for the effects to take place.

Remember the Egyptians? That was over four thousand years ago. Cleanliness and appearance were terribly important to the Egyptians. They believed the appearance was in direct link with the health of the soul. They strived to always look and smell good. And with a society who values their appearance, you’re inevitably going to have people who are going to make themselves stand out. But the Egyptians, being the innovative people they were, used cosmetics for reasons that were even smarter than just trying to look good.


Mesdemet was the earliest kind of eye shadow- a substance made of copper and lead ore. The dark shades they believed would ward off evil eyes to their own. It was also a great disinfectant and insect repellent. Kohl was a dark powder that was also applied around the eyes in an oval shape. It was a combination of lead, ash, ochre, copper, and burnt almonds. To further enhance their appearance, they would apply a mixture of water and red clay to the cheekbone area. They would also paint their nails colors of orange and yellow with a substance called henna.

As time moved on and cultures were exposed to each other more and more, the Greeks began to pick up on the many practices of the Egyptian’s use of cosmetics. They would give themselves a pale color with a foundation that contained lead in it. This proved fatal on more than one occasion. As the Romans began to pick up the cosmetics practice, the pursuit of beauty became much less about functionality and took a turn into much more exotic routes. The Romans would paint their nails with a combination of sheep’s blood and cooked body fat. An ancient Roman man once said, “A woman without paint is like food without salt.”

For centuries after the Egyptian empire faded, the fashion norm around the world was a pale complexion. A tanned, sun-dried face was associated with being a commoner who worked out in the field all day alongside her husband. The upper class ladies of course did not participate in physical labor like that so they stayed inside and had white faces.

A white, pale complexion was also a symbol of wealth. If you had enough money, then you didn’t have to work. So a pale complexion was extremely important to some people. To get this look, women (and men too) would use a combination of hydroxide, lead oxide, and carbonate in a powder form to paint their faces and bodies. Unfortunately, this lead to a sometimes fatal side effect, lead poisoning.

To remedy this, chemists in the nineteenth century finally discovered a mixture of zinc oxide that didn’t block the skin from being able to breathe and kept people out of that irritating lead poisoning sickness. It worked so well that it is still used today by cosmetics manufacturers.

In the Edwardian era of London, around the turn of the century of 1900, society women with a disposable income would throw lavish parties and do a lot of entertaining to show off their wealth. As hostesses of the party, it was important for them to be the best looking woman at the function, so it was extremely important for them to look the youngest they possibly could. Women at that time who lived these extravagant lifestyles did not eat well, would not exercise, and breathed in the heavily polluted air that the cities of the time produced. They would rely on products like anti-aging cream and face cream to help hide their blemishes.

They would also go to the beauty salon. It was a little different back then than it is today. Women would sneak into the back of the salons and hide their faces as they entered. One of the most famous of these discreet beauty houses was the House of Cyclax, who would sell creams and rouges to ladies. Mrs. Henning, who was the owner, sold and created many products for her desperate customers who didn’t want anyone to know that they were getting old.

The cosmetics craze continued throughout the centuries into the 1900’s and began to see the earliest of the cosmetics industry being formed. Mrs. Henning’s House of Cyclax in London sold many products that you can still buy today from world famous companies like Avon. Another beauty salon owner found herself expanding her products to meet the demands of her upper class clientele from a facial cream that protects women’s skin from the sun to lipstick and face powder. Today, you can find a whole line of cosmetics from Helena Rubenstein.

As the years went on, the popularity of beauty salons continued to increase. In 1909, a salon called Selfridges began to sell cosmetics out in the open ver the counter. Women’s attitudes began to change and confidence grew. When the Russian ballet came to London, the influence of high art was apparent on many designers. A man named Paul Poiret was one of the first to come out with a much more vibrant and colorful look. It was also the first time that permanent cosmetics was seen. Women could tattoo their lipstick and eye shadow permanently on their faces.

During the 1930’s the fashion of lipstick went to a darker shade with a variety of shades. Around the time of WW II, ingredients for cosmetics was at a severe shortage and women underwent a kind of make-down. This ended right when the war did and demand for cosmetics increased more than ever. Competitors began manufacturing a number of products to meet the demands of the female consumer.

Today’s woman is the benefactor of all these years of trial and error with a virtually unlimited choice of products for any look they want to achieve. There are literally thousands of companies who have products in this now billion dollar yearly industry. Cosmetic products sell year round and even in times of recession.
So ladies, thank your ancestors and their concern for their own appearance for your own that you have today. There were probably days when they woke up and didn’t really feel like going through the hassle of putting on their face either.