How to Apply Makeup with the Newest Skin Care Tools
Once thought of strictly as the denizen of old-time Hollywood movie stars, that elusive quality known as glamour has gone mainstream, easily accessible to regular people like us. And while celebs have always set the trends, their tricks and techniques were not readily available. In the past, all you could do was to take your cues from print fashion and beauty magazines, and hope for the best.
But now, thanks to new technology, internet beauty gurus with how-tos and more, the tools of glam and the ways to use them are only a click away!
Conair’s True Glow® line of skincare implements has recently introduced new tools to make today’s glamour easy and fast. Aptly named True Glow™ Glam, this collection takes traditional cosmetic applicators and kicks them up a notch with the technology you want for full, flirty lashes and flawless, fabulous skin.
The Eyes Have It!
You know it’s all about lashes and brows right now. But rather than spend your hard-earned cash on lash extensions, or struggle with false lash application, an easy way to get the look of lush lashes is with an eyelash curler.
Accenting eyelashes is nothing new. In ancient Egypt, there was no gender bias about eyelashes! Men and women used kohl to darken theirs, as did the Romans, who also added burnt cork to their eyelash tinting regime. Tweezers and brow brushes have been found in Babylonian ruins! During medieval times, eyelashes and eyebrows were often removed, as the forehead was considered a most important (and sexy?) feature of the face.
Queen Elizabeth I, the trend-setting reality star of her day, had the look women wanted to emulate. They dyed their eyelashes reddish gold to match hers, but the substances used could make lashes fall out! They also dyed their lashes using crushed berries and soot for a less toxic solution to the eyelash dilemma–in secret of course, as using dye was a social no-no for the average Elizabethan gal!
Victorians fared a little better with the invention of mascara concocted from coal dust and petroleum jelly. Rumor has it the first false eyelashes were created in 1916 by an American movie director to perpetrate the fluttering look popularized by silent screen actresses. In the 1920s, stars of the screen and stage (male and female alike) used black cake mascara to define and darken their lashes, and the use of eyelash curlers became more commonplace. Waterproof mascara was invented in the '40s, and the late '50s saw the introduction of tubed mascara with a spiral tip wand. It is said that a certain movie star who breakfasted at Tiffany’s separated each lash with a safety pin (don’t try this at home or in a moving vehicle!).
Everything was bigger in the '60s, including eyelashes. Models, movie stars and mere mortals donned dramatic, spidery lashes, often layering on several pairs at once! Some even painted on lower lashes with a brush! The later 20th century saw new color mascaras, and brighter-than-bright mascara as well. Hair mascara was a popular method used to paint vibrant streaks in the hair.
And now? Like most once-limited cosmetics items, the options for lash enhancement are myriad, depending mostly on your budget, time and ability to wield the necessary tools! Mascaras come in many formulas and colors, false lashes can be glued on by you or a pro, held in place by magnets, applied singly or in strips. Heat is applied to keep lashes curled longer – and here’s where the True Glow™ Glam Heated Eyelash Curler comes in. Yes, you could heat up your own eyelash curler to provide super long-lasting curl, but trying to figure out how long to heat and how hot to make the curler is a guessing game, and one that could end badly!
The True Glow™ Glam Heated Eyelash Curler makes it easy to get the lush, full look you want safely, without breaking the bank and adding precious minutes to your beauty routine.
It instantly adds an eye-opening, awakening effect, lifting the lashes for the prettiest peepers! The sleek wand design is easy to use, and perfect for travel or quick touch-ups. Just turn it on, heat it up and start near the base of your upper lashes. Hold for 8 –10 seconds and repeat as needed to customize your look! Then swipe on your favorite mascara and you are ready to go forth and slay the day! All eyes will be on you, for sure!
The Skin You’re In!
Flawless, even skin tone is at the top of everyone’s beauty wish list, and has been for centuries. Cosmetics are actually mentioned in the Old Testament and other ancient texts. Although in days gone by, a natural match to your skin was not the ideal. In fact, foundation has a pretty horrific history! The ancient Greeks and Romans wanted their complexion to appear fairer, and so they coated their skin with white lead, a poisonous chalk that killed most of those who used it! This trend continued into the Middle Ages and beyond – who can forget Queen Elizabeth I’s deathly pallor? Her clown-white visage came at a price – side effects included hair loss, rotten teeth and permanent skin discoloration.
Flash forward to the 19th century when liquid foundations were made of more natural ingredients like zinc oxide, glycerin and calamine lotion. Created for the purpose of concealing imperfections, unfortunately, the colors were quite limited – think white, pink and red. And as theaters began to use gas lighting, actors needed to add more color to their faces, and the old powder forms were not pigmented enough. So, “greasepaint” was born.
Greasepaint is pretty much what it sounds like–actors mixed powered mineral pigments with some form of grease to produce face makeup that could withstand brighter lighting. Sounds kinda gross, right? Early greasepaint formulas were improved upon over the years, until an iconic Hollywood makeup artist took matters into his own hands. The advent of Technicolor film required a powder-based formula, so Pan-Cake foundation ruled the studio makeup rooms until after WWII, when liquid foundations came onto the scene. Inspired by leg makeup women wore to support the war effort by giving up their nylon stockings, liquid foundation dominated.
Fortunately, the 20th century also saw the regulation of cosmetics and the advent of doctors working with cosmetic companies. Safety became a salient selling point. Liquid makeup formulas continued to improve over the years, and today there are enough formulations and colors to accommodate all skin types and shades. Liquid, powder, mineral-based, and all kinds of combinations of the aforementioned are available. A well-known female hip-hop artist has created a highly successful makeup line with 40 shades of foundation! But not only is the right foundation hue a skin-perfecting necessity, the right applicator makes all the difference in the pursuit of a flawless finish.
Aficionados of the makeup sponge will love the True Glow™ Glam Vibrating Makeup Blender Sponge. The traditional pointed sponge features vibrating action for even makeup application, rounded edges for large area application, a pointed tip for precision blending, and standing base to keep your blender and your counter clean! And it’s so easy to use! Just dampen the sponge with water, then pat makeup blender into your fave liquid foundation. Turn on the vibration and gently dab and bounce the blender along the skin to create an airbrush-finished look! Use the flat edge to contour, and the precision tip for small areas. And always remember not to rub blender on skin. The pros have nothing on you!
Handy with a brush and a sponge? Prefer your makeup applicator on a wand? The True Glow™ Glam Vibrating Makeup Brush Set has the sonic advantage to evenly disperse makeup in even, thin layers for a 3D, flawless finish with an airbrushed look. Use with your favorite liquid and powder makeups, and customize your makeup experience from start to finish. Just dampen the sponge with water and apply foundation to the blender. Turn on the vibrating action and gently glide across skin for the perfect blending application. After your foundation is set, change the brush head to apply your fave bronzer, blush or powder. And that’s it! You’re ready to go.
We are so lucky to live in a time where our cosmetics are safe to use, and we are free to celebrate and embrace our own individual beauty. So, glam it up a little or a lot, and make your routine easier with handy application tools from True Glow™ Glam by Conair®!
