March 26. 2013 11:37PM
By Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob), Weekender Correspondent 

“If you were stranded on a desert island, what is the one item you couldn't live without?”

I remember asking that question a lot to people, or the more subtle question, “What is the one item you cannot leave your house without?” The answer I always get at one point or another is “Mascara.”

To me; mascara is one of the essentials that really completes a look and helps enhance a person's final appearance. When it comes to choosing mascara that's right for you, automatically ignore any drugstore brand unless its Physicians Formula Organic WearMascara.

Most mascara can cause your lashes to become dry and brittle, synthetic elements/fibers can cause eye irritation, and most will cause you to lose your lashes over time. This Physicians Formula Mascara is 100 perfect free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, colors, fragrances, GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), parabens, fillers, and dyes, but it can still give you a gorgeous no-clump, smudge-free, flake-free lash!

If you are looking for a professional brand mascara on the higher end of the spectrum with similar properties (waterproof, conditioning, non-drying, non-irritating formula), Stila Cosmetics has the Stay All Day Waterproof Volumizing Mascara. The Stila Stay All Day Mascara is a long-wearing mascara that contains special polymers with a strong resistance to water. The super rich formula pumps volumized lashes, is buildable and unlike other waterproof mascaras, leaves lashes soft and shiny with mango butter and coconut oils, and yet will not smudge, budge, or flake while leaving lashes soft, protected, smooth, and shiny, and its paraben free.

When applying mascara, to get the best application, I suggest tipping your head back slightly, lifting your eyebrow, and looking down towards the floor. To start, I like to comb down the lashes with the mascara to get the back side of them (in case you have fallout of lighter shadows). It will clean them up and give you fuller coverage on the lash, giving you a thick, luscious lash.

Once you have your mascara on, I like to take a clean mascara wand and comb through the lashes to really define and separate them. Stay away from eyelash curlers; instead, while mascara is still wet on the lash, hold your pointer finger under the outer corner of your lashes while drying to give them that extra lift you need.

Tip: When testing mascara out at a department store, it's always safer to test the formula on your arm hair to prevent possible contamination.

March 12. 2013 11:44PM By Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob), Weekender Correspondent

Everyone wants the perfect pout; routine trips to the local plastic surgeon for fillers aren't for everybody. For a super small fraction of the cost, I can show you how to create a dimensional lip that will give you that bee stung voluptuous lip!

All you need are four items. The first is a lip plumper (my favorite is Too Faced Cosmetics Lip Injection Extreme for $28, toofaced.com). This lip plumper is exceptionally great because you can wear it during the day as well as at night. The more you use it, the more your lips will become conditioned and smoother, filling lines and creating a more prolonged plump.

You will also need a darker colored lip liner, a lighter matching colored lipstick, and lip gloss. Application is very quick, easy, and, of course, painless. First apply the lip plumper generously to your top and bottom lip; feel free to over line a little to help accentuate your cupid's bow and to give you that extra pouty bottom lip. Leave the plumper on a few minutes until your lips are at a desired fullness.

Next, take your dark colored lip liner and apply around your new plump lip line, over lining slightly. Then, with the same lip liner, fill in both outer corners of your lip, top and bottom. This will deepen the outer edges, making the center of your lips appear bright and larger.

Now take your lipstick in a few shades lighter, then the lip liner color, and apply all over the top and bottom lip; this will blend all of the colors together and give you a gradient effect on the lip.

Finally, apply your gloss. To do so, place the gloss on the tip of your finger and dap that onto the center portion of your lips only; doing so will give the center area a more highlighted effect when light reflects off of it, giving you that perfect pucker!

It's always good to play around with different shade and color combinations with your lip liner and lipstick. A favorite of mine is using a nutmeg liner ($4.50 from NYX Cosmetics,nyxcosmetics.com) and Orange Soda round lipstick, also from NYX.

Another combination that works great for a night out or something more romantic is using a deep plum liner and a cool toned medium shade of red; it's that perfect sultry-meets-sophisticated color combo.

A nice alternative lip plumper that retails for $6 is NYX Cosmetics' Pump It Up lip plumper – it says right on the bottle, “Feels like spicy chilies,” and they are right! Feels hot but looks even hotter!

 April 24. 2013 12:08AMBy Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob), Special to the Weekender

It's spring time, and now is the time to clean up your makeup routine, simplify it, and take it into the new season.

As you all know, each trend for every season has a signature color; well, you're in luck, since the color for this season as well as the entire year is green. As we approach the warmer seasons, we start off with sea foam and mint greens, and later this year, as we reach fall and winter, the color will tone down and transform and deepen to a jewel tone or metallic green.

I know most of you are thinking: “Can I even wear green eyeshadow?” and to be honest, not everyone can pull it off, but that's why they are called “trend looks” and not wearable, everyday makeup looks.

If you want to keep it simple but stay on trend, apply a soft champagne color to your lid and finish with green eyeliner. You can use any type of liner; liquid will give you a slightly edgier look. Double lining will make the look even more editorial and fashion forward by using a black liquid liner, then following above it with a green liquidliner.

For a little more pop of color and a look that is still natural and subtle, do a sheer wash of a neutral-like champagne color from lash line tobrow bone, then take a matte soft brown and apply into the crease, staying within the outer half of the eye lid. Then, to add that extra special burst of color, take your green eye shadow and in small, circular motions, apply it to the outer third of your eye lid. This will give you a nice hue of color that peeks out from behind your lashes. (This is a great application for bridal makeup as well.)

Continuing your spring look, I suggest adding a fun color splash to your cheeks; no bronzer needed, just apply a pink or coral, concentrating the color more intense where your natural contour is and blending upward to create a soft subtle gradient with a kick.

To finish up your look, take a similar shade to your cheek color in either a bright pink or coral – even a fuchsia would be beautiful and would really compliment the green liner/shadow.

Tip: Stay away from applying the green as all-over lid color “garage doors.”

Trick: Apply your favorite green eye shadow with a damp brush as an eye liner!

April 09. 2013 11:29PMBy Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob), Special to the Weekender 

Dark circles are definitely not a girl's best friend. Here are a few tips and tricks to brighten up your eyes and, in turn, your day!

Most dark circles are shadows created by bags under the eye. Tired and puffy eyes can be easily remedied by using a cold compress, such as a cold spoon. You can also include caffeine in the mix by using a cold tea bag under the eye to help tighten and soothe the puffy area.

Deep set eyes can also give the appearance of having dark circles. A nice tip for someone with eyes that are of the deep set variety would be to think light. Light and bright colors will make anything they are applied to pop, and make eyes appear larger. This is why people wear black, because it has the opposite effect and is slimming.

If you put a concealer on the lid and follow with light champagne-toned eye shadow that will bring out the eye and brighten it. You can also use an iridescent or light flesh-toned liner to apply to your inner rim/lash line to lighten the area as well. In this application I would skip liner on the top lid altogether and just put an extra coat of mascara on.

Although most dark circles are hereditary, there are many things that can be done to prevent them: lessen your sun exposure, limit rubbing the eye area, and even allergy medication will help with dark circles caused from allergens. Though it will not remove them entirely, these tricks will limit the appearance of dark circles.

To help camouflage the stubborn spheres I would suggest first to find a warm concealer one that is closest to your skin level but with a warmer, more orange tone to it. This orange will help to cancel the blue that is in the dark circle. You can then take your regular concealer and apply that over it, followed by your foundation. You can also take an eye-brightening pencil or shadow and place it over the darker area to help light diffuse and distract from the dark circle.

When applying under-eye concealer, you want to make sure you only place the product where you have the dark circle. To get a better idea of location, stand under a light and place the concealer where you see a shadow under your eye to brighten those specific areas. If you conceal the entire under-eye area you are just lightening that whole area but still getting a shadow, so you will want to only put the light where you have the dark.

Trick: Create your own eye brightener by taking your shade foundation and adding in a loose eye shadow in a pink or peach tone with a shimmery finish, and then apply to the inner corners of your eyes to conceal and brighten.

Tip: Sedonalace.com has a 10-shade concealer palette available to take the guess work out of what concealers to buy.