October 09. 2013 12:09AM
By Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob) Weekender Correspondent 

Halloween is my favorite holiday, but it never fails: I wait until the last minute to decide on a costume. Sometimes I even wait right up to the very last minute before a party and whip up something on the fly.


Last year I found myself watching a million Tim Burton movies, since even as an adult I cannot handle Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger movies. One of the Tim Burton movies I found myself watching a lot, as well as my favorite of the director’s filmography, is “Corpse Bride.” It tells the story of main character Victor, who accidentally marries Emily (the Corpse Bride) while reciting his vows alone in the woods.


One night, as a party drew near, I rushed home to get ready. I started by washing, toning, and moisturizing, then finished with a face primer to ensure longevity. After that, I looked through my phone for some sort of Halloween image and, with no luck, closed my browser. But when I did, my wallpaper appeared and, lo and behold, it was Victor from “Corpse Bride.”


I looked in the vanity above my bathroom sink and pulled out my winter shade of foundation (pale), black eyeliner, and an eye shadow quad with white, gray, brown, and black in it (You can do so much with so little product or random everyday household items).


First, I applied the pale foundation, then with the black liner began mapping out where Victor’s features would be on my face. Make sure to draw new brows and elongate and add a point to your nose by putting dark shadow along the sides of the bridge of your nose and a line across the tip with shading under it.


I then filled in all the dark areas on my face (primarily the eye socket) with the black eyeliner and set the liner with black eye shadow. It started to look amazing, but just a little too cookie cutter, so to blend everything together, I diffused all the black edges with brown eyeshadow, then a light gray. I took the same brown, gray, and white and started to contour and highlight my cheeks, forehead, and jaw to give a more triangular shape (like most Tim Burton characters). I dusted the white shadow around my face to help set the foundation as well.


To give the cartoon effect to your eyes, trace a new shape with liner and fill the circle in with white, then draw pupils on your closed lid so when you close your eyes you have a new set of eyes (kind of fun, kind of creepy). Most of Tim Burton’s characters have these similar features, so this look can be converted into almost any of them, or you can create your own.


I then raided my closet for any type of muted dress clothes and finished the look with some tweaking of my hair (a lot of teasing and hairspray), giving myself a vintage coiffed hairstyle and completing Tim Burton’s Victor from “Corpse Bride.”


Tip: If you don’t want to continuously close your eyes for photos, invest in a pair of white contacts with the pupil still black; it will give the same effect.


Trick: If you aren’t a great artist, try mapping out your new facial features with a white eyeliner first - it’s more forgiving.

October 02. 2013 12:47AM
By Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob) Weekender Correspondent 

With October comes breast cancer awareness month, so I would like to shine a spotlight on an organization that gives back to people affected by breast cancer: Look Good Feel Better. The group’s mission is dedicated to improving the self-esteem and quality of life of people undergoing treatment for cancer. The aim is to improve a person’s self-image and appearance through complimentary group, individual, and self-help beauty sessions that create a sense of support, confidence, courage, and community. Look Good Feel Better has programs for everyone: men, women and teens. I’m lucky to work for The Sapphire Salon & Destination Spa, which has a few representing members of The Sapphire family that volunteer at LGFB.


Look Good Feel Better is a free, non-medical, brand-neutral program dedicated to helping you look as good as possible during chemotherapy, radiation, and other cancer treatments. One portion of the program that I am in love with is the makeup section; each client receives a goody bag with all of the makeup essentials. Being brand-neutral, they include everything from Dior mascara to Covergirl foundation; it’s always a surprise.


Rose Altavilla, an LGFB volunteer, explained:


“When an individual comes in for the program, they are greeted by one of the LGFB volunteers where they will watch an inspirational video that helps to explain the program in full detail. LGFB is sponsored by The American Cancer Society, The Cosmetic and Toiletry Industry, and The National Cosmetology Association. Then after that, they receive their own makeup kit according to skin tone, whether they are light, medium or dark. Then each person goes through a 12-step hands-on process that goes from proper skin care to lip stick application. Following that, they go into wig education. Hats and turbans are available for purchase and further information as to where you can purchase a wig is provided.”


You can contact Look Good Feel Better by calling 1.800.395.LOOK to see which organizations hold classes. Some local places are Candy’s Place in Kingston and Geisinger Health Center in Plains Township.


Tip: When wearing a wig for the first time, it may take you a while to get used to. Try applying your makeup a little heavier and concentrate on using more blush and more gloss. Confidence is key!


Trick: For filling or drawing new eyebrows, always use more than one color shadow and pencil to give more dimension to the drawn-on brow. Light flicking motions will help create a more hair-like appearance.

September 26, 2013 10:00AM
By Bobby Walsh Special to the Weekender 

If you haven’t noticed already when shopping in Sephora that the Sephora by OPI nail polish has been clearanced and the selection dwindled down to nothing but the colors no one wants.  Now there is a blank display unit with a lot of room and with “X’s” on it; that my friend is the new home to Formula X for Sephora.

The new shades and effects portion of the collection will cost $10.50 to $12.50 each, and the treatments retail for $10.50 to $14.00.  Formula X has never-before-seen ingredients from all over the world, amazingly fast drying time, safe neon pigments.  These high gloss precision, super opaque lacquers will last up to two weeks.  I’m also a sucker for packaging and these bottles are the perfect size and shape for cataloging, storing & stacking your polishes.

Sephora's Formula X is a colossal collection of exciting, heart pumping, beautifully vibrant colors, effects, and treatments for everyone! The collection consists of 90+ standard colors and 50+ special effects polishes in an abundance of categories (12 to be precise.) Nail art devotees everywhere will be able to choose from: The Celestials (matte metallic’s), The Chromes (liquid metallic’s), The Electrics (neon pearl and shimmers), The Brilliants (Multidimensional sparkling multi-glitters), The Holograms (holographic dimensional colors), The Translucents (shiny sheers),The Shifters (shade-shifting duo-chromes), The Sparklers (3-D metallic shimmers), The Superwatts (jelly glitters), The Lusters (multi-sized glitter),  The Transformers (illusionary topcoats) and The Xplosives which are the most impactful of the whole collection (matte confetti glitter and white confetti glitter!)

As part of the launch as well as a staple product in the line they created - The System, which consists of a nail cleanser, basecoat, topcoat, and color of your choice for just $32.00, you can’t get any better than that especially when other basic polish lines nail colors start at around $9.00 already for just your average run of the mill polish that you can hope and pray will last through the next few days.  If you love higher end polishes like Deborah Lippmann you will love this!

This new polish line; Formula X is launching now at Sephora nationwide. 

Tip: Prepping your nails are important, make sure you use a base and top coat (never use the combination ones) and before you begin the process remove excess oils on your nails with a swipe of acetone.

Trick: Keep your manicure newer longer by applying a horizontal strip of nail color across the tip of your nail, this will round out the edge of the polish making it harder for it to lift and chip.

September 11. 2013 1:14AM
By Bobby Walsh Special to the Weekender 

Eyeliner has been a staple in makeup ever since ancient Egyptian times. Back then makeup played a crucial role in one’s existence, and even in the afterlife. Liner had become part of a ritual and it was believed that it could bring one’s soul closer to the god once deceased. Eyeliner was a must-have both for women and men alike, not only for beauty but also to deflect light (like how football players wear black paint on their cheeks) and for antibacterial purposes.


It wasn’t until the 1920s that women began to express themselves in a more abstract, feminine and glamorous light that eyeliner became more popular. Today, liners have advanced so greatly, with the invention of water-proof smudge-proof formulas, liquid or pencil, and an overabundance of colors to choose from.


Some of my favorite liners include: Stila Stay All Day water-proof liquidliner in black and cobalt (for those with super light crystal blue eyes); Tarte Light Camera Lashes inner rim brightener liner in nude, to help open up the eye and help conceal any redness, giving a well-rested appearance; Too Faced three-way lash lining tool, which has a three-prong felt tip that you can sweep across the lid for your traditional black liquid liner look or you can press along your lash line, leaving a trail of dots that give the appearance of fuller lashes. You can also tight line with this product, which means taking the liner and running it under your lashes on your upper lid, creating the look of fuller lashes and a more eye-defining effect.


A great way to utilize liner every day is to find a sheer wash of eyeshadow color that compliments your iris, then follow with a colored liner that also compliments your eye color. Remember to apply the liner in a way to maximize your eye shape and really help to create the perfect almond shape; it’s the most flattering of eye shapes and gives people that dreamy, sultry, more attractive quality.


Tip: Follow the eye liner chart to help find the best way to apply your liner to best suit your eye shape and help get you to the perfect almond shape.


Trick: 90 percent of eye shadows can be used wet or dry. Take a little eye drop solution on a fine tip or angled brush and swipe across your favorite shadow for a long-wearing custom liner.

August 27. 2013 11:19PM

Fall is quickly approaching and the September issues of the top style magazines are out, displaying all the new hair trend colors – are you ready to make the change?


Working at the Sapphire Salon & Destination Spa, I see a lot of hair color clients come in every six-to-eight weeks for their color retouch. I also see the same people come in for their new spring/summer or fall/winter trend color looks every season.


This fall/winter, hair color collections are featuring soft cool brown tones, very bright whites, neutral wheat blondes and, of course, natural golden redheads. Whichever color you decide to transform yourself with, it is very vital to update your makeup collection to go with it, as well as fit in with the latest seasonal trends.


If you are making that drastic change, be sure to set aside extra time with your stylist or makeup artist for a makeup lesson to help sort out and pick up new shades of eye colors, lip colors, and cheek colors to compliment your new look.


I know from experience that whenever I change my hair color, I am quite weary about the initial transformation and second guess the whole thing until I change up my blush or bronzer.


When going with a new hair color, always take into consideration your eye color. Pick out different tones within your iris and go with them for your new color; that way you’re staying true to your natural chemistry and, no matter the level of drastic change, this new hue will still compliment you.


Take that same theory and apply it to your new makeup, taking the colors that are in your iris and using matching tones on the eyes, lips, and cheeks. If you have blue eyes or green eyes with no other golden tones in them, it’s obvious you can’t wear blue or green blush/lipstick. In cases like this, it’s best to look at a color wheel and use something opposite these colors that will be complimentary to them.


For example, blue eyes look amazing with bronze, golden, or copper tones. Green goes great with red, purple, or gold tones. Keeping your look cohesive and monochromatic is the best way to go; it’s very natural, and no matter who you are or what you look like, it’s the most flattering. Besides, no one really ever compliments how amazing your red and black mohawk makes your eyes look and, if they do, do they mean it?


Tip: Dark Coca-Cola-colored lips are a must this fall, but to maintain a sense of beauty, keep the rest of your look light and airy.


Trick: Change up your existing natural hair color with vibrant-colored shampoos that will add or impart specific tones to liven up your hair. Aveda carries such shampoos and conditioners for redheads, brunettes, black hair, golden blondes, and platinum blondes at aveda.com.

August 14. 2013 1:19AM

I recently ran a pole asking “What is one thing women would like to learn about with their makeup?”, whether it was a step-by-step, how-to, or recent trends. The winner was makeup for aging skin, the over-40 crowd and how to enhance their natural features and give the overall appearance of looking younger.


My first piece of advice would be to stay out of the sun, but that would be a more preventative thing you would do and this article is going to focus more on what your face looks like now and how to make the most of your makeup to perk up and give yourself a plastic surgery-free makeover.


When working with your eyes, if you have a heavier eye lid make sure to keep it simple; less is more when it comes to enhancing the eyes. Use a bright champagne light-catching color all over the lid, from lash line to brow bone. Then take a deeper, more matte color complimentary to your iris color and place that in the outer third of your eye, from the corner of your eye up toward your brow bone and slightly up onto it (in and upward and outward motion). This darker shade on the outer third of your eye will help to sink back that heavier section, giving you a more defined almond shape, which helps open your eye up. If your lid is extra heavy I suggest to even skip eyeliner altogether and just use an extra coat of mascara for additional definition.


For your foundation I would keep it clean and simple with a tintedmoisturizer or a cream foundation, as both will help hydrate and plump fine line and wrinkles while giving you a more natural, diffused skin appearance.


As for cheek color, I absolutely love using a cream blush; not only do they stay all day but they continue to give you that dewy, more alive skin with a pop of radiance.


Lipstick for maturing skin is tough only because not everyone has complete issues with puckering or lines appearing on the lips, but whether or not you have this particular problem I would advise you to start with a lip plumper. The lip plumper will help push out some of the lines in the lip, giving you a fuller smoother lip. Once the lip plumper has served its purpose, take a lipstain and apply it to both top and bottom. A lip stain won’t bleed on you and will also act as a nice base for anything you put on after, creating a brilliant longevity. Keep your lip color similar to your cheek color. If you have a more sallow complexion I suggest going with something a little more vibrant, such as a jewel tone.


To guarantee your makeup stays on all day, finish with a setting spray. I love any of the Urban Decay setting sprays which were created by a brand called Skindinavia (skindinavia.com) who specialize in makeup setting sprays.


Tip: Make sure you define your brows! They give you more character and a more youthful appearance the thicker they are!


Trick: Apply a few small or medium individual lashes to give you a natural shadow on the outer corner of your eye for a simple eye-defining enhancement.

July 31. 2013 12:49AM

With fall fashion shows and collections popping up everywhere this time of year, you have to admit to yourself that summer is almost over. Be ahead of the curve and start your fall makeup and skincare shopping now!


Most people are accustomed to owning a spring/summer foundation, which is usually a deeper tone and something lighter like a sheerloose powder, such as bare minerals. In the fall/winter, foundations tend to be a lighter tone and people usually go with a fuller coverage, like a cream compact foundation.


What people don’t know is that your skin changes with each season. In the summer our skin tends to be a little oilier and more hydrated, so using a foundation like a tinted moisturizer would be beneficial. A tinted moisturizer with oil-controlling properties will stay on the skin longer, plus it will allow your skin to breathe and sweat through it without ruining your makeup. You can still achieve a decent amount of coverage by layering the tinted moisturizer and finishing it off with a sheer pressed powder, allowing for a more airbrushed look. Plus, 99 percent of the time, tinted moisturizers have an SPF to help protect the skin from sun damage.


In the fall/winter our skin can be very dry. Colder air and harsh winds will draw the dewiness right out of our skin, causing it to look dull and lifeless. This fall/winter try using liquid foundation, even though it seems many people are afraid of the old, traditional liquid foundations. (You know, the ones that are super thick and crease everywhere - not to mention the smell!) Now, liquid foundations are so much more advanced, most of which include some sort of skin care benefit in them as well as having a medium-to-full build-able coverage that doesn’t feel tight or thick on the skin, still allowing it to breathe while keeping it hydrated.


A fantastic group of liquid foundations I love include such items as Stila: Stay All Day Foundation ($44), Benefit: Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation ($34), Urban Decay: Skin ($38), and The Sapphire Salon’s private label collection: Mineral liquid foundation ($14). Coverage without compromise, these weightless formulas diffuse most imperfections for a flawless finish that not only feels invisible, but looks professionally retouched/airbrushed. Another good thing about these foundations is they are infused with oxygen and minerals. This allows the skin to breathe, which will help to control oil and bacteria to minimize skin blemishes and impurities. These innovative formulas also help to slow down the onset of premature aging and promote healthy, hydrated and vibrant skin.


Lastly, when choosing a liquid foundation that is right for you, make sure to select a color that will last you from the start of fall all the way to the end of winter. There is no need to purchase multiple foundations for every single season. If you feel that the tone is a little pale in the beginning, add a little bit of bronzer to the areas the sun would hit your face (all the higher planes like the forehead, nose, cheekbones and chin). This will give a subtle glow and make your foundation a little more cohesive with the leftover bit of tan you may have.


For you guys out there that feel like your skin is lacking in the luster department, try a BB cream or CC Cream. The Sapphire Salon’s BB Cream ($16) will help all of your skin concerns, such as blotchiness, dryness, and uneven tone. The best part is that it doesn’t feel like you are wearing anything, so you still maintain that comfortable no makeup look with added UVA/UVB protection this season.


Tip: The fall complexion trend is a nice velvet finish, so go with a more matte/satin finish foundation and leave dewy for the summer! Add matte to your existing summer foundation with a matte-fying pressed powder.


Trick: Find a primer that has added skin care benefits to help boost the process of renewal and repair from your overexposed summer complexion. BB and CC creams used as primers, especially ones with hyaluronic acid, will do the trick.

July 17. 2013 1:15AM

Makeup Rules: The Real King Bob (Bobby Walsh)

You’re sitting by the pool and all of a sudden someone does a cannon ball into the water and splashes you. You are having a nice lunch outside when it begins to pour and you didn’t bring an umbrella. You become an innocent bystander trapped in the middle of a water balloon fight, or you are just simply enjoying your pool and hot tub ever so carefully trying not to go under the water. All of these scenarios will probably happen to you at some point this summer, and I’ll help you get prepared to take on all of these tasks wide-eyed and waterproofed. Nothing can stand in the way of these perfect treatments to keep your eye makeup smudge-free this summer!


The first treatment that I found to be a great help with waterproofing your eyes and giving them that natural, no-makeup definition perfect for diving right into the pool is eyelash perming and tinting. When you perm the eyelashes it helps open up the eye, and then newly curled lashes will give you that flirty, natural, smoked definition to any makeup look.


The perming process is safe, fairly quick, and definitely painless. Customized soft rods hold the lashes in place as a gel solution is applied and, after a few minutes, wiped off, followed by the removal of the rods - voila, you’re finished!


Eyelash tinting will help add a deeper color to less visible, lighter colored lashes; you can choose from blue black, black, dark brown, brown and auburn. Tinting guarantees full color coverage from root to tip, making the lashes appear longer and darkening them to give you a natural definition along your lash line, as if you had a slight amount of liner on. Eyelash perming and tinting will last a good 4 to 6 weeks or until you fully replace your lashes naturally. Mine lasted me close to two-and-a-half months or so. I really enjoyed it since my lashes tend to point downward; it helped to open my eye up significantly. Locally, I know The Sapphire Salon & Spa (www.thesapphiresalon.com) offers these particular services for a combined total of $47 at around and hour of your time at the longest.


The other new and amazing service for waterproofing your lashes for a makeup-free, no-mess summer eye is semi-permanent mascara. A special quick-drying mascara formula is applied to your curled lashes ever so carefully, making sure each lash is separated, and a drying tool is also given to help speed up the process. Once your top is done they move to the bottom, then back to the top, guaranteeing sufficient lash coverage. This mascara formula, unlike the perming and tinting, will give you significant length and beautiful volume. This mascara will last 10 day to 3 weeks; I just suggest to research a little and make sure you aren’t using too many oil-based products around your eyes that will prevent the mascaras true longevity. Permanent mascara can also be found at The Sapphire for around $28, also a great alternative to the four-day lash stain I used to use from Tarte, since it has been discontinued.


Tip: Run your lash curler under hot water or lightly warm up the curler with a blow dryer before curling your lashes for extra longer lasting curl.


Trick: For additional daily definition with eyelash perming and tinting use a clear mascara, so if it runs you won’t have a mess under your eyes.

July 03. 2013 1:41AM

I recently read an article on using random household items in unconventional ways to make your life easier or to create something new altogether. Since then, I decided to go through all of my makeup and skin care products, as well as household items and, with a little research online and a few things I’ve heard, I tried some of these DIYtricks.


Here are the five things that I tried and found most useful in my everyday routines, first starting with the ever-annoying breakout.


Concealing is probably the best way to hide a monster pimple, but a lot of times you only get rid of the redness, not the large swollen bump on your chin. I have learned that warming up a tea bag in hot water then placing it on the problem area, repeating two to three times, will help loosen the debris in the clogged pore, allowing you to extract it easier. Follow this with a cold spoon to bring down the swelling, finally allowing you to conceal over the area much better.


My second favorite thing I like to do is, when I am out of hand and foot lotion, I like to take one of the many soy candles I have in my apartment and melt them; since it’s a soy wax it doesn’t get as hot as a normal candle. I then use the soy wax as a hand and foot lotion. The soy wax makes my hands and feet extra smooth and soft, great for rough dry skin. Plus it makes for an awesome massage lotion!


The third item is mascara as eye liner. If you have ever run out of your gel or liquid eye liner, just dip your angled brush into a water proof mascara and use that as a liner; it lasts all day with no flaking or running.


Item number four is rubbing alcohol, a great trick if you accidently smash your favorite blush or eye shadow. First continue to chop up the already damaged product into a fine powder, then place powder back into the compact or shadow pan and press down, packing the product in and flat. Saturate with rubbing alcohol and continue to smooth the product out. Once the alcohol dries and evaporates, your makeup will be like brand new.


Item number five is a cheap and excellent way with the use of olive oil as an eye makeup remover! You may need to use a little more product then you would with a typical synthetic cleanser, but the olive oil breaks down the waterproof properties of eye makeup with an organic approach, leaving the skin around your eyes hydrated, conditioned and makeup free.


I can probably go on and on with the many different items I learned that you can use in non-traditional ways to get the most out of your purchases. With that said, I will leave you with two more.


Tip: Use a flesh-toned eye pencil to open your eyes more by applying it to the water line. You can also use it to highlight your cupids bow to give you a fuller pucker, and spot conceal pimples or under-eye circles.


Trick: Before you try to conceal a tattoo for a special event try using a white waterproof liquid liner over the tattoo before applying the concealer; it will virtually vanish.

June 18. 2013 10:48PM
By Bobby Walsh (The Real King Bob), Special to the Weekender 

Most people don't wear makeup in the summer - in fact who wants to? It's hot, humid, rainy, and sometimes you're in and out of a pool or doing some sort of outdoor activity where you might sweat it all off.

So, I collected a group of products that I love for the summer to help prep, prime, calm, and enhance your complexion!

Not everyone has the same skin type, but a good majority of people are oily in the summer months and drier in the winter, so I like to start off with a good cleanser. I use Philosophy Purity gel cleanser ($21, sephora.com). This particular foaming gel cleanser is the sister or brother product to Philosophy's award-winning Purity Made Simple cleanser, but instead has a fresh-foaming deep clean that foams as you lather, removing dirt, oil, impurities, and makeup, even eyemakeup.

Once I am done cleansing my face I like to use an Aveda productcalled Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant ($20, aveda.com). This non-abrasive liquid exfoliant wipes away leftover dead skin cells, excess dirt, and oil, revealing a smoother, clearer, more refined complexion beneath, and pores that are ready for ultimate moisture absorption with its toner like qualities. You won't believe the amount of makeup and dirt that comes off your face even after you just cleansed; it's amazing.

Now you need a good moisturizer. I like to stick with something that is light, gel based, non-oily, and contains Hyaluronic acid or hyaluronate which multiplies your skin's moisture level tenfold, counteracting the effects of dry indoor heat, low humidity, and chronic dryness. Skin feels instantly comfortable and it helps fight dehydration. I like to use Mario Badescu Cellufirm drops and Cellufirm moisturizer ($18-$25, mariobadescu.com).

My final step to help even out your complexion, but to keep your skin comfortable and summer-ready, is a tinted moisturizer. Mmy favorite is Stila's sheer color tinted moisturizer with an SPF of 20 ($34, stilacosmetics.com) and Tarte's cheek stain in Tipsy ($30, ulta.com), which gives you that sweet proof long-lasting dewy finish.

You can then pick a long-wear lip stain or lip balm and a water proof mascara to complete your look.

Tip: Eyelash perming and tinting are great ways to get darker, more visible lashes that won't melt or smudge in the heat or water (great for vacations and swimming).

Trick: Don't have a cheek stain? Add a little bit of your favorite long-wear lip color or lip stain into your tinted moisturizer and apply on your cheeks for a homemade summer-proof cheek stain.