Beauty Trends ... Fall/Winter 2013

Hola,

Well hello again my dears. How are you all doing and how was your day? Mine was pretty good. It was a beautiful fall day in NYC and I loved it. I hope wherever you find yourselves at this moment that you also had or are having a good day.

So as you may know because I'm hoping that you've already read it, last night I posted the "What's Trending ... Fall/Winter 2013" fashion edition. If you haven't read it yet, please go and check it out. I'm sure you'll like it. Anyway, this morning as I'm riding the train to work, I got to thinking... I said to myself why not write a second post about fall/winter 2013 beauty trends. I mean we all love to dress up in the best there is, but what is a great outfit if your hair isn't just right and your makeup isn't absolutely radiant? The answer... It's blah! Beauty routines play an important part in our overall appearance so even if you're wearing an incredible outfit, if your hair and makeup aren't up to par, your outfit will not shine. Therefore, as a result of all this thinking, I got excited because those thoughts led me to tonight's post; which meant that I’d write two consecutive posts as opposed to slacking off and posting every few weeks as I've been doing lately. I know, shame on me! ;)

In any case, I rushed home tonight and I combed through many images along with fashion and beauty sites to bring you the beauty trends that I feel stood out the most on the fall 2013 runways. Keep in mind that every designer chooses their own makeup looks and hairstyles to complement their designs but usually in the end, it turns out that there are many similarities among all of the shows. So without further ado again...

Let's get started...

MAKEUP TRENDS

RED LIPS: Red lips were popular for this season which I love because it's my go to color. When wearing red whether it's matte or with shine, the rest of your makeup should be subtle so as not to take away from the sexiness of that gorgeous shade of red.

WINE STAINED LIPS: If you're not big on red, try a wine color instead or any berry color. The preferred tone on the runways was a matte finish but hey if you want to shine, go with just a little bit of lip gloss. Keep your eye makeup nude to complete your look because again, the lip color will be the focus.

SMOKY EYES: Definitely "IN" this season. However, it is my opinion that the smoky eye should never be out. It is so sexy and glamorous if done correctly. Be careful and do not go overboard as the result could be what we like to call "raccoon eyes."

Here is a smoky eye done with purple eye shadow. This look is great for those of us with caramel or darker skin... So lovely!

PURPLE SHADOW: I've always been a fan of purple shadow, mostly the darker shades. This season the brownish purple was popular at some of the shows like my favorite man, Oscar de la Renta, also at Max Mara and Gucci. I'm in love with the luminescent look in the photo below. The darker shade of purple goes well with every skin tone.

LONG EYELASHES: Just gorgeous! Long lashes define glamour and they are so trending this season. I have to gloat just a little bit because my eyelashes are naturally super long, top and bottom! I hardly need to use mascara. Yeah! :) ... Okay I'm done. As I was saying, long lashes are hot. I love the look below because her dark lashes are the center of attention while the rest of her makeup is subtle, almost transparent.

PINK BLUSH: The girly, sweet look as I like to call it... Just add a light dusting on your cheeks to give your face that rosy, dewy glow and you'll look like perfection this season. Add a touch of lip gloss to complete your look but not too much as you want this look to appear effortless and barely there.

BOLD BROWS:  Yes! I'm so happy about this look because my brows have always been bold and full. If you like this style, you should start growing out your brows right about now. My brows are also a bit long so I keep them from getting bushy by trimming the ends and applying a tiny bit of vitamin E oil and using an eyebrow comb to keep the brows smooth through the day.

Other trends in makeup this season were cat eyes, orange shadow, nude lips and metallic liner.

HAIR TRENDS

THE SIDE BRAID: From the moment I saw this look I fell in love. I'm so happy that my hair is long enough to pull off this style. You can go with the messy braid as in the photo below or nice and neat. As I mentioned in my previous post, you can also wear a side braid when wearing a beanie or slouchy hat. All in all, braids in any style are in but this is my favorite.

LOOSE WAVES: This look is super girly and so sexy. It can be pulled off even if you have short hair so go on and give a try. Loose waves go with any outfit from casual to glamorous so go ahead and rock that hair!

LONG SIDE BANGS: Very pretty and sleek. If you have longer bangs in front, part your hair on the side and sweep it on over and behind your ear to get this look. You can leave the back loose or put it up in a ponytail, braid it or even tie it up into a messy bun. This is a cute and versatile look. My bangs are shorter now, but they should grow out in a few weeks so I'm going to try this. :)

LOW PONYTAIL: No caption necessary. This look never really goes out of style. The ponytail also goes great with any outfit and you can vary between sleek and neat, messy, high up and bouncy or low on the nape. You cannot go wrong with any style you choose.

MESSY BUN: Chic! While I'm not really one to put my hair in a bun, I really like this look and may try it. This goes great with red lips as shown below... It's also one of those styles that works fabulously when going out on the town or dressing for work and/or a business meeting.

...And last but not least:

SUPER STRAIGHT: Again, this look requires no caption. It's beautiful, classic and never goes out of style. A super straight short bob is so glamorous if you have short hair.

Other trending hairstyles were the sleeked back look off the face as shown in photo number four, punk hairdos in colors like pink or blue, and hair with lots and lots of volume.

- The End -

So there you have it love bugs. Once again, it was hard to pick just a few because there were so many great choices. This season is full of diversity and extremes. You can go from bold and intense to natural and sweet; from messy hair to sleeked back and neat. It's really your choice. With the exception of a few, I plan to try most of these out this season. I'm in the mood to change things up and have some fun. Will you? Are you willing to try something completely out of your element and see how it turns out? I say go for it because you never know if you might like it and will choose to stick to it at least until spring. Plus we all know how much fun it is to go shopping for new makeup.

My goal with this beauty issue was to give you an array of new ideas to try. I know most of us find a beauty routine and stick to that, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to change things up. Go for that bold smoky eye, those super red lips, maybe try the nude, barely there look on a Saturday afternoon, try that messy bun on a night out on the town and then mix it up the next day with volumes whether it's curls or loose waves. You all should know what's coming next.... "Play with it," your hair and makeup choices, and choose what "works best for you" but don't dismiss the chance to have fun and be daring. Go ahead and try it then come back and let us all know how your new beauty routine worked out for you. Take some photos and post them in the comment section because I'd love to see the outcome.

As always, if you have suggestions or ideas or would like to share some of your beauty habits with the rest of us, you all know the deal... please feel free to comment below. Let's start a conversation on how to make us look and feel more sexy and beautiful than we already are. Go! #engage

Once again, thank you for stopping by my "Open Closet."

Until next time my loves.

Gracias,

AnnaCris <3

*The pictures in this blog are not my own. They were borrowed from Google Images. Please contact me if any of the above photos are yours and you'd like them removed from this blog.

Beauty In Paradise...

Hola,

Que pasa my fashionistas? I was so inspired by my previous post about what to wear on vacation that I wanted to keep the momentum going and write a "part two" post on what beauty products to take along on your getaway. This has also inspired me to start planning my own vacation pretty soon. I desperately need to get on a plane and go somewhere! I haven't done so in several years (bummers!)... But this year, I am definitely finding my own paradise on a beach somewhere... or maybe a cruise! Yes! :).

In any event, my vacation trip is really a whole other story so let's get back to the subject at hand. What beauty products must I take along on vacation you might ask? Well, I have several of my own choices which I am going to share. I would love it if you'd share yours because honestly when it comes to beauty products, everybody is different. We all have different needs and different tastes. We all have different skin and hair types as well as different skin colors, tones and textures. Some of us have special issues such as eczema or acne so really, you need to make your choices specifically for you. However, it's still fun to see what other people use and you can always get some really good tips that you may not know about. So let's get to it my loves!

Ahhh *sighs* Paradise

My daily beauty regime is pretty simple. I do, however, have specific items that I love to use and have become a "must" for me. When I pack for vacation, I take my daily regime with me. Why deter from what works? Vacation is a time to look especially fabulous, and having the right beauty products is important. I do pack a little bit extra though when going away. For example, for my daily routine I moisturize my face, but I don't wear any makeup except a colored lip gloss by L'Oreal which I adore! I'm always rushing out the door so I don't have time for it. However, for a paradise getaway, I will pack blush, lipstick, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara and some bronzing powder. You know for those nights of dinner and dancing when your face has to look just as gorgeous as your fabulous outfit. Yet, it's not just playing up your face but keeping the rest of your body moisturized and smelling wonderful. Plus making sure you have what you need to ensure your hair looks amazing. The entire package you might say.

So here is my list of beauty essentials that work for me at home and on vacation. You will notice that I stick to certain brands, and this is only because I have very sensitive skin and ridiculous allergies so not every brand works for me. Any products that make me sneeze, breakout or make me itchy are a no go. Here are my preferred choices:

FACE:

Wash - Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser.

Toner - Olay Oil Minimizing Toner for Normal Skin.

Moisturizer - Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream or Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream.

Moisturizer - Oil from one capsule of vitamin E (I love the GNC brand).

The cream cleanser has little exfoliating beads that gently scrub your face clean not to mention, it smells terrific. I'm sure you've seen the commercials for Olay's Regenerist line and I promise you that it's as wonderful as they say. Keep in mind that I vary between both facial creams. I can go a week using one then switch to the other.

I use the vitamin E oil over the cream to give my face a dewy glow (note: do not use the entire capsule in one shot so you won't look too shiny). This oil does wonders for your skin. It's also great to rub under and around your eyes. It will provide extra moisture to that delicate eye area as well as reduce fine lines. I also rub a tiny bit on my eyelashes before applying mascara to help it glide on. Note: if you have oily skin, using this oil may not be a good idea.

Acne - If you have acne, I have the most amazing product that will get rid of pimples very quickly. It's called "AcneFree" and it's sold in most drugstores. It contains the facial wash, toner and lotion. Years ago I broke out in moderate acne and had a hard time getting rid of it all.  I tried this product, and I can honestly say that for the past 5+ years I rarely get pimples. If I do get one or two, I use AcneFree and the next morning they're gone.

Vitamin E Oil Is Wonderful For The Skin

MAKEUP:

Blush - Clinique Blushing Blush Powder in Mysterious Mocha.

Bronzer - Clinique True Bronze Pressed Powder in Sunkissed.

Mascara - Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara in Jet Black.

Eyeliner - Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense in Intense Black, Ivy or Midnight.

Eye Shadow - I hardly use shadow but when I do, I go for browns, dark greens or dark blues.

Lipstick - Victoria's Secret in Sensual or Don't Stop (both dark reds), Also a lovely lip tint by Tarte called Moody which is a deep berry color. As you can see, I'm partial to reds. :)

Lip Gloss - L'Oreal Colour Riche in Rich Nude paired with a lip liner by Victoria's Secret called Red Light (which sadly, is no longer available so I need to find a replacement). This combo of liner and gloss is what I wear daily and I adore it. I pray that the lip gloss is never ever discontinued!

Lip Moisturizer - Before applying lip gloss or lipstick, I dab either some blistex or some vitamin E oil to soften lips. Also, if you apply some coconut oil at night, your lips will be super soft in the morning and will dry less often.

My All Time Favorite Lip Gloss in Rich Nude by L'Oreal

Clinique's True Bronze Pressed Powder in Sunkissed

BODY:

Wash - Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash in any scent.

Lotion - Olay Ultra Moisture Body Lotion in any scent, Johnson's Baby Oil or Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Lotion in Heavenly.

Gauze/Loofah Sponge - I adore these, especially the ones in bright cute colors!

Perfume – Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels "Heavenly."

Body Exfoliating Secret - Mix a half cup of sugar or enough for your whole body with some baby oil. Don't add too much so the sugar is not completely saturated. During your shower rub the mixture over your body in circles to exfoliate your skin. I promise that it will leave your body softer than a baby's butt! Also if you don't have time to exfoliate, after your shower while your skin is still wet, rub baby oil all over. Not too much but just enough to leave your skin silky smooth. Go ahead and try it. Let me know what you think. ;)

  

My Very Favorite Perfume "Heavenly" by Victoria's Secret

HAIR:

For my hair I use a brand called UNA Phytology Range. My cousin is a hairstylist and she recommends all hair products to me. The shampoo is amazing and leaves your hair smelling delicious. For conditioner she uses one called "green conditioner" sold at her salon. It does wonderful things to my hair and leaves it so soft and shiny. Again, there are so many different hair types that you should always use what works best for your own hair. My vacation hair secret is before going in the ocean or pool I apply some conditioner to my hair so that the salt or chlorine won't damage my hair too much.

NAILS:

Don't forget that awesome manicure and pedicure. Bright bold colors, neon colors, dark colors or pastels... whatever you love, go for it. When it comes to manis and pedis every color goes. Whatever your mood tells you, that's what you should go with. You can match both or go with different colors. I usually don't like to match both. It's so much fun to play with different colors on hands and toes so why not! Have fun! Be spontaneous!

Last, please remember to always use sunscreen especially if you're traveling to hot weather. They say the higher the SPF the better so do your research to see what your skin type needs. I also use suntan oil because I have to admit that I love getting that "sun bronzed" look. I mix a little bit with my sunscreen and it works great.

So there you have it my sweets! These are my choices for looking fabulous during those lazy days in paradise. I hope this gives you a general idea on what you can choose for yourself. You can go with different brands, colors, etc... But hopefully, this list won't let you forget anything you need when packing. I'm more on a budget so I have to watch what I spend (you know striving to be an entrepreneur and all takes sacrifices lol), but if you can afford to go all out for the expensive items go for it! Please feel free to add your choices, tips and anything you think would be indispensable. Add your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below. Let's help each other look marvelous on our getaways this year! Go #engage!

Until next time!

Gracias,

AnnaCris <3