Civility: Amazing beauty tips

Part Two: I’m continuing this week with ideas and tricks to make your cosmetic application easier.

Smoother lips: Lip pencils can redefine the lips and prevent lipstick from bleeding into the finer lip lines. First, use a camouflage lip liner around the outside edge of the lips; next use a lip pencil to cover the entire lips to make the lipstick last longer. Then touch the bottom middle lip (only) with lip balm or lip gloss. The bottom lip should visually look 1/3 larger than the top lip. Another boost for the wrinkles above the lips could be the use of a mattifying gel with silicone above and below the lip. All Rights Mattifying Gel can be found at Kohl’s.

Lipstick enhancement: Lipstick colors need to balance with the color of the eyes directly, the skin tone and natural hair color. Lipstick needs to be as warm/cool or light/dark as the eyes. Just because a particular lipstick color is in fashion, be cautious. It must connect with your personal coloring, be supportive, and not dominant. The correct lipstick color (and you only need to have one or two lipsticks that are coordinated with your entire wardrobe) will make your eyes sparkle.

Skin cleanser: Cetaphil is wonderful, gentle and soapless.

Oil-free acne wash: Neutrogena has a wash for oily skin that dries without drying out skin. This also discourages break-outs.

Micro dermabrasion: Using brown sugar with some olive oil serves as a facial refiner, anti-inflammatory and moisturizer.

Flawless complexion: Vitamin C acts to enhance collagen production in the skin. Using ¼ Emergen-C with 1 tablespoon water on face. Let dry and rinse.

Hair styles: Velcro rollers are back in style, adding more sophistication and style. With a long face/high forehead, side-swept bangs create more symmetry and soften a prominent chin. A strong nose can be diminished by teasing the crown of the hair. With a strong jaw, ensure that the hair length stops below or above the jaw in order to create balance.

Teeth whiteners: Crest White Strips Professional works well to whiten teeth. Another idea is to mash strawberries with ½ teaspoon of baking powder. Rub on teeth. Leave for five minutes. Brush as usual. Both work to whiten.

Perfect hair color application: Choose correct color for hair through use of a color palette or color photographs of you as a young girl, between ages of 8 and 14.

Youthful maturity: As we mature, our skin, hair and eyes soften. Because of this fact, it is wise to re-coordinate makeup and clothing colors. The colors were chosen 20 years ago will need to be updated to avoid the big “M” (“matronly”) look. Celebrate your beauty.

DIANA OLSON, MA AICI CIP, is an image stylist/ etiquette & civility specialist. Reach her at (626) 584-9761 or e-mail Olsonco465@ aol.com.