5 Common Makeup Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

At Beauty For Real, we understand that not everyone is a professional makeup artist like Leslie. Most #bfrbeauties are women, like you who love our products because they're easy to use and don’t require hours of YouTube tutorials to apply. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to spend a ton of time on your makeup. However, if you are breezing through your beauty routine, you may be making some of these common makeup mistakes. Fortunately, they all have simple fixes.

Lip color on dry lips

It’s winter, and if you live in a cold-weather climate, you are probably combatting chapped lips on a daily basis. If you’re a lip-color lover, you don’t want to give up rocking your reds just because your lips look a bit rough. However, whether it is a lip cream, lipstick, or lip gloss, when you apply it to dry, chapped lips, it will accentuate the bumpy texture. Fortunately, there is a very simple solution: exfoliating lip scrub. When you find your lips have dried out, simply apply our Lip Revival scrub to your lips and gently rub with your finger to exfoliate. Voila! Smooth lips that will look flawless, whatever lip color you choose.

The wrong foundation

This is probably the most common makeup mistake in the book. It makes sense because most people make the mistake of trying to match the color by applying it to the hand or arm. To make sure you have the right color, don’t test on your hand; test directly on your jaw line, as your skin tone and shade is often different on your face. Additionally, your skin tone varies with the season; your skin could be as much as four shades darker in summer! To combat this problem, invest in a different shade of foundation for each season.

Blush in places it shouldn't be

Well-applied blush livens your face with a bit of color, but poorly applied blush can age you and make you look clownish. Some women make the mistake of applying blush below their cheekbones, which ages the face by making it look saggier. Others apply circles of blush to the apples of their cheeks, creating a clownish look. Instead, your blush should go along your cheekbones, drawing the eye upward to create length. 

Overdrawn brows

Bold brows have seen a resurgence in popularity recently thanks to beauty icons like Cara Delevingne, and as a result, more and more women are investing in brow pencils, gels, powders, and waxes. While we love a strong brow, a little goes a long way. Avoid going too intense with your eyebrows by using a shade lighter than your natural hair color and applying with a light hand.

Too much bronzer

Everyone loves a sun-kissed glow, but there is a point where it goes from bronzed beauty to carrot real quick if you aren’t careful. When you are applying to your face, lightly brush over your forehead, temples, neck, and nose instead of all over your face. If you are looking to add a bit of color to your body, use our body bronzer for subtle illumination for any skin tone.

(TOTAL) GLO
At Beauty For Real, our makeup is intuitive and easy to apply, so you can worry less about makeup mistakes and more about what’s really important to you. Simplify your beauty routine by shopping Beauty For Real today!  

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December 08, 2016 — Aleksandra Canal

Why Our Mascara Is Paraben Free

Black mascara from Beauty For Real

If you have ever shopped our awesome eye makeup at Beauty For Real, you may have noticed that our black mascara, Hi-Def Mascara, is paraben free. More and more cosmetics companies are moving away from products with parabens in them. You might have noticed “paraben-free” labels popped up left and right, but you may not know exactly why. In this blog, we will give the lowdown on what parabens are and why we don’t put them in our best-selling volumizing mascara.

What are parabens?

Parabens are preservatives that have been used in a variety of beauty products since the 1950s. These chemicals are used to prevent bacteria, fungus, and mold growth. From lotions to shampoos to lipsticks to eyeshadow, parabens are present in roughly 85 percent of all cosmetics, making them the most used type of preservative in makeup. This is because they are very cheap and have proven to be effective.

So what’s the problem?

The problem is that recent research has shown that paraben may have detrimental effects on our health. Specifically, the issue is that research into breast cancer has discovered the presence of parabens in breast cancer tumors. Parabens have the ability to mimic estrogen, and estrogen exposure has been linked to the development of breast cancer. Some scientists believe that the prevailing presence of parabens in cosmetics may be messing with our endocrine systems because repeated exposure to these chemicals is disrupting the estrogen receptors in our bodies. Some researchers believe that the prevalence of parabens is linked to the rising rates of breast cancer. While we don’t know for sure if parabens really cause cancer, recent studies have led some scientists to be concerned. For example, one Danish study recently discovered that after participants applied lotions with parabens to their skin, parabens were detected in their blood hours later. Because of the ubiquity of parabens, their estrogen-mimicking abilities, and our ability to quickly and effectively absorb them into our bodies, we should be concerned about the potential impact of parabens.


What to watch out for

If you are concerned about the effects of these chemicals like we are, luckily, you have alternatives. When shopping for any personal care items, check for “paraben-free” labels. Read the ingredients and look for the following chemicals: butylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, and anything else that ends in -paraben. As more and more consumers become aware of the potential problems with paraben, you will probably see more paraben-free options soon.

Better safe than sorry

In short, more research needs to be done on parabens to determine exactly how concerned we should be about their effects. While small amounts of parabens may be harmless, at Beauty For Real, we’d rather play it safe. After all, our mascara is going near your eye; who wants potentially toxic chemicals there?! We always aim for our products to be natural with as few ingredients as possible because we’re all about simplicity and quality.

When you need a volumizing mascara that won’t smudge and contains no parabens, shop Beauty For Real for one of our favorite products, Hi-Def Mascara.
November 30, 2016 — Leslie Munsell

Make Your Makeup Last All Day Long

Your makeup looks amazing when you first apply it in the morning, but by the time you get home at the end of the day, it looks like you didn’t even put any on! Fortunately, when you have the right products and techniques, you can have flawless makeup all day long. Read on for some tips for making your makeup last.

Prep your pores

The first step to ensuring your makeup lasts all day is exfoliation. When you exfoliate, you shed those pesky dead skin cells, leaving smooth skin behind. This allows you to apply your makeup evenly, which will in turn, last longer. Invest in a good exfoliating face scrub to use twice a week, and try our exfoliating lip scrub before one of our lip creams for flawless lip color that lasts all day.

Less is more

It might makes sense to you to layer your makeup to make it last longer, but this is actually counterproductive. When you add too much product to your face, it is more likely to smear and smudge. This is especially true for foundation, so always use a light hand (or even better, brush!). One way to accomplish this is by applying a thin layer with a brush, then using a sponge to absorb any excess product.

Use the right products

At Beauty For Real, we designed our makeup for real women who don’t have time to spend worrying all day about how their faces look. Our customers want to look beautiful when they apply makeup in the morning, and be able to feel confident they still look good at 3 p.m. That is why we design our makeup to be both easy to apply and long-lasting! For example, our formula for our blush/luminizer is specially designed to go on creamy for easy application, but dry as a powder to set. The key to makeup that lasts all day is using the right products that are designed for all-day wear. Whether you use our black eyeliner, our water resistant mascara, or our long-lasting lip liner, you are bound to look flawless all day long.

Don’t get too touchy

We all do it: at some point today, without thinking about it, you touched your face. This is not the end of the world, but you should definitely avoid touching your face when you can. Not only are you spreading germs and allergens and clogging your pores, you’re also ruining your makeup. It doesn’t matter if you are using the best long-wear makeup money can buy; if you keep rubbing, picking at, and putting your hands on your face, you are going to lose some makeup along the way. Do yourself a favor and keep those paws off yourself!

Set it up

If you really need your makeup to look perfect after hours of wear, you may want to set it with a translucent powder or a setting spray. Applying a light layer of translucent powder with a soft makeup brush gives you the staying power of a powder without messing with your makeup. Alternatively, setting sprays are designed to keep your makeup in place all day long. After you have done with your makeup, spritz your face and head out the door. At Beauty For Real, our long-lasting makeup lets you put your best face forward, even hours after application! From exfoliating lip scrub to long-lasting lip cream to waterproof eyeliner, shop all of our makeup essentials today.

November 15, 2016 — Leslie Munsell

The Best Blush Around. Glo Up Already!

 

You want gorgeous, glowing skin, but not everyone can afford the expensive skin care regimen or dermatologist of a celebrity. That’s where Beauty For Real comes in! The Blush + Glo blush/luminizer makes your skin look dewy and radiant. Our blush and highlighter stick actually has many different uses, which we will outline in this blog.

How bout dem apples?

Most obviously, you can use our blush and highlighter stick on the apples of your cheeks, where blush is traditionally applied. With our blush/luminizer combo, we take this standard beauty technique to the next level. You can apply the blush directly from the stick and then blend up your cheekbones, or use your fingers, brush, or a sponge for more precise direct application. Blush + Glo feels heavenly to apply because it goes on as a cream, but blends into a powder to ensure staying power. This simple step breathes life into your cheeks and adds shape to your face, but be sure to blend well to avoid the clown look. With our duo blush/luminizer, you can also layer the highlighter over the blush to add illumination to your cheek bones. Play around with it to find the perfect blush/highlighter blend for your skin tone and type and personal style.


Perk up your peepers

Believe it or not, this blush/luminizer stick isn’t just for your cheeks; you can use it on your eyes too! Use a touch of the highlighter on the inner corner of each eye and directly under your brow bones to make you look bright-eyed, even when you didn’t get enough sleep. Additionally, your blush/luminizer can also moonlight as an eyeshadow! Apply the blush to your lids and blend upwards, then add a layer of highlighter on top if you desire added shimmer. Top with our waterproof black eyeliner for a more dramatic effect.


Enhance your collarbone

The collarbone is low-key a very sexy body part, and when you are headed out for a magical night out, you may want to emphasize its allure. For maximum effect, run the highlighter over each of your collarbones where the light naturally hits it. If you need help pinpointing this, stand under a light in front of the mirror and shrug your shoulders up towards your ears, and highlight accordingly.


Perfect your pout

We all wish we had Rihanna’s luscious lips, but not everyone is so #blessed. Luckily, with the right highlighter, you can create the illusion of a shapely cupid’s bow and full lips. Before applying your lip cream, dab your cupid’s bow with a small amount of highlighter, then do the same on the middle of your bottom lip. Follow with a universal lip liner, then apply your shade and notice how much more precise and plump your lips look.

Any of these techniques can be completed in minutes, because at Beauty For Real, we’re all about keeping makeup simple. Ready to glow on up? Shop our life-changing blush and highlighter stick, Blush + Glo, for a simple way to look radiantly beautiful.

November 10, 2016 — Leslie Munsell
Tags: Products

Fall 2016 Makeup Trends

Fall is finally here, and you know what that means: pumpkin spice lattes, cozy layers, and brand new makeup trends. It’s time to put away the pastel lip gloss and aqua eyeshadow and start fresh with darker, autumnal tones. Read on for the latest and greatest makeup trends this fall. 

Bold, black eyeliner

As the leaves change colors, you can say “goodbye” to the softer look of summer in favor of edgier eye makeup. Tap into your inner teen angst with bold, black eyeliner on your top and bottom lids. Our black liner is perfect for this look because it is long-lasting and completely waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about smudgy raccoon eyes. 


Glossy dark lips

This fall, you’ll see many a dark lip. Whether it’s plum, grape, wine, eggplant, or black cherry, darker shades are all the rage. Try our latest lip cream color, Night Before, for a long-wear, burgundy color that won’t dry out your lips.

Metallics

Metallics have been on-trend for all of 2016, and this fall is no exception. For a metallic look that will make your eyes pop, use our eyeshadow stick in Ever Starstruck on your eyelids, as well as your bottom waterline.

Dewy skin

Healthy, glowing skin is in style no matter the season, but this  fall dewy complexions are all over the runways. Seamlessly  add radiance to your face in seconds with our blush/luminizer.

At Beauty For Real, we offer makeup that lets you stay on trend without the time commitment. Whether it’s our black eyeliner or our eyeshadow sticks, our products are all designed to simplify your makeup routine. Ramp up your fall makeup wardrobe and shop Beauty For Real today! 

November 10, 2016 — Leslie Munsell

It’s Great To Exfoliate

Do you ever wonder when you see photos, TV, or movies with celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, or Kerry Washington, “How does their skin ...
November 10, 2016 — Leslie Munsell
Tags: Products

Leslie's Daily Makeup Routine

As a woman who is no longer considered a “spring chicken” and has been a makeup artist for decades, I’ve seen lots of makeup trends, tips, and tricks ...
October 25, 2016 — Leslie Munsell

Trending Now: How To Pull Off Red Eye Makeup

Stars turn heads in fiery eye makeup but they don't all stand out for the right reasons

"I love a bold eye" says Olivia Wilde reinforcing her beauty mantra: "have fun with makeup."  Add All Day Latte SHADOW STX (24/7 Waterproof Eyeshadow) ($19, BFR) to lids which has just enough burgundy to enhance all eye colors and looks terrific on all skin tones.


"Red and green are opposites on the color wheel, so Olivia's emerald eyes pop against the shadow's red tones," says Beauty For Real founder Leslie Munsell, a celebrity makeup artist who has also worked with Miranda Kerr.  To keep the color from looking brash, Munsell tips, "Use an angled shadow brush to pull color along the lash line, lightening it up as it moves past lids."

Here's a few extra BFR Pro Beauty Tips if you're planning to try the look yourself.

1. Remember that a little goes a long way.

This is especially important to remember if you’re choosing a bold red shade. Repeat: Less is more. Less is more. If you’re wearing a red shadow, concentrate it on the eyelid.

2. Be careful about red all the way around your eyes.

One of the reasons that red shadow hasn’t been a mainstream favorite until recently is the fear that it will made you look like you have pink eye or some other nasty eye infection. Play it safe and avoid wearing red around your entire eye, especially if you’re choosing the brighter or lighter shades.  

You can start with a base like BFR's Coral Crush such as BLUSH+GLO ($24, BFR) then add All Day Latte SHADOW STX (24/7 Waterproof Eyeshadow) ($19, BFR) on the crease of your lid and along the bottom lash line.

3.  Balance the bold with a Volumizing Black Mascara

If you’re wearing red on your eyelids, you do not need to add in more color with your mascara. You already have plenty. Plus, a HI-DEF Volumizing Mascara ($19, Beauty For Real) can help ground the look. If you’re wearing eyeshadow, you can also try adding in a flick of black liner. I-LINE ($14, Beauty For Real) is an ultra-black liner with an easy-to-use gel tip.  

4.  Learn how to use an Angled Shadow Brush effectively.

As featured in In Touch

Special thanks to Natalie Serret

August 08, 2016 — Carole Ann Bell