Don't you want to always look flawless without hurting your wallet? These tips would show you how to leave the cakey face behind and look naturally beautiful. It is time to Reveal your Flawlessness...

January – Foods your flawless face needs; for healthy, glowing, and young skin
Water – Drink plenty of water, 8 to 10 glasses a day would be ideal. It hydrates your skin and leaves it refreshed.
Carrots preserve your outer skin and delays aging.
Almonds have Vitamin E, which helps to moisturize your skin from within.
Avocados are rich in B-complex vitamins and essential oils and works like an anti-inflammatory agent, which protect your cell membrane.
Mangoes have lots of Vitamin A and will repair your skin cells so it doesn't look flaky. This fruit will help your facial tissue stay healthy and in shape.
Potatoes are packed with vitamin A, which is an anti-wrinkle agent, so this vegetable leaves your skin smooth.
Fresh apple drink helps to strip off dead skin cells. It also helps your food digest correctly and breaks down excess fat.
Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and plums guard against premature aging and so keep your sking looking younger.
Garlic fights wrinkles and restores tissues.
Green Tea has anti-inflammatory properties and protects the cell membrane. It may even help to reduce the risk of skin cancer.
Cheddar and Swiss cheese prevents bacteria from building up in your mouth and so prevents cavity.
Non-fat yoghurt is filled with calcium and helps to keep your teeth white and cavity-free.
Celery eliminates blemishes from the enamel of your teeth.

February – Your face beneath the makeup
Remember to always start with a clean face. Cleanse your face thoroughly with a cleanser, then use cotton wool to apply a toner. Be sure to moisturize your face twice a day (moisturizing eye cream under and around the eyes, and your facial moisturizer on your face). Make sure you give the moisturizer time to sink in before you start applying your makeup as it will help your makeup go on more easily. If you have oily skin, avoid using oil-based moisturizers. You can find both oil-based and oil-free moisturizers at your local beauty supply store or drugstore.

March – Flawless Foundation
Foundations come in a variety of shades. Make sure you get your foundation matched appropriately with your skin tone. There are different types of foundation for different skin types. Find out which foundation would work best for you. Use oil-free foundation for oily skin. For combination skin, use foundation for normal skin types. And for dry skin, use oil-based creamy / liquid foundations. Blend your foundation very well to make it look natural. Set your foundation with powder to leave you with a longer-lasting matte finish, and to prevent shine. Brush off excess powder to leave your face looking flawless!

April – Flattering Lashes
Great Lashes make a big difference! Clean your lashes by brushing through (brush downwards, then upwards with a lash brush) to remove any excess foundation or eye shadow. Cover your mascara brush with a light coating of mascara, and apply to your lashes starting from the base to the tip. After the first coat has dried, apply a second one and let the second coat dry too. Brush your lashes with a clean brush to remove excess mascara and to separate your lashes. Your lashes should stand out individually and not be clumped together. Old mascara would make your lashes clumpy, so replace your mascara every 3 months. If you are on a budget, find a good brand from your local drug store. Keep eye lashes smooth and supple by brushing them with petroleum jelly before going to bed at night.

May – Sculptured Brows
Eyebrows are very important as they define your eyes...groomed eye brows go a long way. You can tweeze, wax, spray, pencil, or brush in your eye brows but make sure you are using a techinique that is appropriate for you. Visit a reputable beautician to get your eyebrows shaped appropriately for the shape of your face. For everyday care, after applying your foundation and powder, fill in your eyebrows lightly with short strokes in the direction of the hair growth, with a brow pencil or powder close to the color of your hair. Do not use a black brow pencil as it will make your brows appear over-drawn and un-natural. Use a brow brush to brush over your eye brows in the direction of your hair growth, to soften the look of your eye brows. You can also finish off with a coat of clear mascara over your brows to hold the hair in place.

June – Kissable Lips
Moisturize your lips with lip balm everyday. If your lips are flaky, then exfoliate so that your lip stick would go on smoothly. For long lasting lip color and to create a smooth base, apply a lip primer over your clean lips. Follow with a lip pencil a shade darker than your natural lip color. Use the lip pencil to define your lip line, and then follow with lip stick. Use lighter lip colors to make small lips appear larger, and use darker lip colors to make large lips appear smaller. Finish up the kissable lips with a touch of lip gloss. For large lips, avoid a shimmery lips gloss.

July – Wedding Season; How to choose your Bridal Makeup Artist
Are all your wedding plans set? Have you found your hall? Ordered your dress? Booked your florist? …Great!!! But don't forget the most important part of the day…YOU! You will be the center of attention on your wedding day, and you will probably be video-graphed and photographed more on this day than any other day in your life. Remember that these videos and photos will be viewed and treasured for years and generations!

Even though the most popular thing you will hear on this day will be, “Congratulations”, you want the 2nd most popular saying of the day to be, “You look soooo beautiful!” This is why your wedding makeup is critical. All eyes will be on you on that day and the last thing you want to be fussing with on the morning of your wedding is your makeup! Leave that to the professionals. We have the right tools, techniques, and experience to make you look fabulous for the day.

Makeup artists that specialize in bridal beauty are in high demand, so it is important that you secure your wedding makeup artist well in advance. Start looking for your wedding makeup artist at least 3-6 months before your big day.

Avoid booking with artists who lack experience, creativity, or patience. Your wedding day is YOUR day and so everything should be about YOU. When you are interviewing a makeup artist, pay attention to artists who are more interested in interviewing YOU and are particularly interested in what YOU want…the level / amount of makeup YOU are comfortable with, your colors, your style, and the look YOU want for your wedding. Your makeup artist should be able to give you advice or suggestions, but avoid the artists who think they already know what look they want to give you without regard to your own opinion. Again, remember it is YOUR day.

Make sure you view past works of the makeup artist, and make sure you like their style of makeup artistry. If possible, be sure to have the makeup artist give you a full trial wedding makeup session. Note that a good makeup artist will know how to accentuate and enhance your beauty. Make sure the makeup artist is highlighting your best features and hiding your flaws.

Also pay attention to the products the makeup artists uses. Good quality, long-lasting products should definitely be your preference. Your wedding makeup should be able to stay on looking flawless for at least 8hrs without needing any major touch up. Pay attention to how long the makeup applied at your trial session stays on for.

Many makeup artists are mobile and will come to your location on your wedding. However, do your research (ask for references) and make sure the makeup artist you choose is reliable. The last thing you will want to get stuck with is a “no-show” makeup artist.

Know what other makeup artists are charging and be careful not to get ripped off or over-charged for the service. There are many affordable makeup artists and the rates are generally competitive. Many makeup artists also give discounted rates for a bridal party.

Pray for guidance in choosing the best makeup artist for your special day.

Good luck and don't hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions.

August – Wedding Season; What to ask your Bridal Makeup Artist

1. Do you give a pre-wedding consultation as part of your package?
Choose a makeup artist that does. The consultation should occur within weeks or a few months before the wedding.

2. Are you willing to offer a trial makeup session?
Just like you will get your hair styled before your wedding day, and you will try your dress on before your wedding day, and you will rehearse before your wedding day, make sure you also get a trial makeup before your wedding day.

3. Will you come to do my makeup at the location I will be getting ready on the day of my wedding?
You will be better off with a makeup artist that will come to meet you on your wedding day. This will give you peace of mind and one less thing to worry about.

4. How long will the makeup you apply stay on for?
Your makeup artist should use good quality products and techniques that will allow your wedding makeup to last for at least 8 hrs without needing any major retouching except for blotting film/powder and lip gloss/stick.

5. Do you offer any touch-up essentials such as blotting film/ powder or lip gloss/stick?
If you don’t plan to keep your makeup artist around for the whole day for touch up, then these are must-haves. Whether you’ll be getting it complimentary from the makeup artist, or you will be buying it from her, or getting it yourself, still make sure you have your touch up essentials.

6. Do you have a portfolio or online gallery where I can see samples of your work?
The portfolio should be impressive…pay attention to the details, the makeup should look flawless. Make sure everyone in the port does not seem to be wearing the same look. Check that the makeup artist has experience with a variety of skin tones and skin types in their port.

7. Do you have any references? Can I have their contact info?
Follow-up and call…and don’t just ask about the makeup, ask about timeliness, cleanliness, professionalism, communication, etc.

8. What precautions do you take to ensure cleanliness and maintain good hygiene?
You want an artist who not only has a clean and neat appearance, but one who cleanses their hands, brushes and tools between clients.

9. Do you have group rates or discounts?
Never hurts to ask ;)

September – Wedding Season; Bridal makeup Dos

1. Do a trial run with your makeup artist

2. Browse bridal magazines and bring photos of makeup you like

3. Speak your mind during the trial

4. Expect nothing but the best

5. Make sure Makeup Artist listens to you and what YOU want

6. Understand that if you want to look good in pictures, you may have to wear more make-up than you might be used to

7. Grant your makeup artist the entire uninterrupted time and space needed in which to work and perform her magic. It will ensure you that your make-up application will go faster and you will be a much calmer bride

8. Make sure that you have the essentials to sustain your look all day; Powder or blotting film and lip gloss/stick are must haves (whether your makeup artist is providing this for you, or you are providing this for yourself)

9. Start caring for your skin now, don't wait until a month before the wedding

October – Wedding Season; Bridal makeup Don'ts

Here are the major "Don'ts":

Don't start prepping your skin the day before your wedding. This includes, eye brow waxing, tanning, facials, etc. Please do these at least a week before your big day, otherwise your makeup may not stick to your skin well or blend in evenly.

Don't pull a last minute surprise on your make-up artist. For example, "Can you please do her makeup too?" or "Can you quickly throw on just a bit of lip gloss, blush, eye shadow, and perhaps some mascara on my 3 friends?" Emmm...this means your makeup artist has to fit in additional tasks that she didn't budget time for, and you can bet she is going to make you pay for the extra time too.

Don't wait till your wedding day to inform your makeup artist about special requests such as a tattoo on your shoulder that you'll like covered up. Uhmm...your makeup artist needs to know such info ahead of time so that she can factor the time required into the schedule and is prepared and equipped with the right products and tools to fulfil your request.

Don't forget your touch-up supplies (blotting paper/powder, lip stick/gloss). If your makeup artist will not be around to touch you up throughout the day, make sure you have these touch-up essentials. You will need them!

November – Blushy Cheeks

December – Crystal–Eyez; All about the Eyez