How To Create The Cheryl Cole Smoky Eyes Look

Cheryl Cole has been voted the "Sexiest Woman in the World 2009" and has also been labelled "the nation's new sweetheart" and the reason for this is no surprise when you see pictures of her looking amazingly well groomed and perfectly presented. One of her greatest trademark features is her smoky eyes which can be seen here. She wears the look perfectly, not over the top but just cool and sultry enough. If you want to try and create the Cheryl Cole look yourself it is pretty straightforward and you will need the following products:

• Loose face powder
• Eye primer
• Good quality medium grey and charcoal eyeshadows
• A high-lighter
• Eyebrow pencil
• Black length building mascara

How To Create The Cheryl Cole Smoky Eye

• After applying a light foundation or eye primer apply your grey eyeshadow to your upper lid working from the centre of your eye to the outer corner and winging the colour out from your eye.
• Next, using the darker charcoal eyeshadow line this along your upper and lower lids, blending with an eyeshadow brush along your lash line, leaving no harsh lines.
• Using your highlighter apply this along your outer brow bone and then using your eyebrow pencil carefully darken your eyebrows along their natural line. Darker brows are required for definition when creating a smoky eye look.
• Using a lash lengthening mascara, apply two coats in black, allowing the first to dry before applying the second.
• Match this up with a nude, but glossy lip colour, and there you have it - the perfect Cheryl smoky eye look with glossy lips.

Earlier on today, I listened to an interview with Lauren Luke, the amazing lady who has become a celebrity in her own right making YouTube clips with great tips on how to create celebrity make up looks. Have a look at her Cheryl Cole video for more in depth detail on creating the Cheryl Cole make up look.

If you want to see more of Lauren Luke's great tips for celebrity make up they can be found in her great book on Amazon.co.uk with free delivery.

 

How To Choose The Right Type Of Mascara For You

Sometimes it's a nightmare at the beauty counter ... there are so many products to choose from that even choosing a mascara can become a big decision. There are so many different types, with different formulations and different style brushes that it can be difficult to know where to start! So we've decided to list the five main types below, with hints and tips about when to use them and help with what types will suit you best.

Waterproof Mascara

Waterproof mascara is perfect when you are going to be in a situation where non-smudging is essential - think weddings. Seriously, these are great to wear if you are partaking in sporting activities, going to the beach or you will be out and about in the good old rainy weather. Waterproof mascara contains special synthetic formulas which help repel moisture. The only pitfall with waterproof mascara is removing it - you need to be careful and use a specially designed eye-make up remover or you can end up breaking your lashes. If you want to be extra kind to your lashes after using an eye-make up remover coat your lashes with Vaseline using an old clean mascara wand - but remember to clean this often.

Lengthening Mascara

A lengthening mascara can be used if you consider you have short eyelashes or you want to create a more dramatic look. The ingredients are the typical mascara ingredients which include water, wax thickeners, film-formers, and preservative with the addition of short synthetic fibres which act like tiny fake lashes and which are normally made of nylon or rayon. These fibres create extensions to your natural lashes and are much more effective than trying to apply fake lashes at home unless you have a very steady hand.

Thickening Mascara

If you think that your eyelashes are rather sparse, then try a thickening mascara. Thickening mascaras contain a higher percentage of waxes and silicone polymers to coat your lashes and will make them appear thicker.

Curling Mascara

A curling mascara is not much different in formula to a standard mascara apart from it should have greater hold to keep lashes curled. The curling effect comes from the brush or applicator which has a curved head rather than a straight one which allows the brush to cover the whole lid at once and sweep the colour upward with a curling effect. The jury is out on how effective curling mascaras actually are and how well they work will depend on how strong your own lashes are. It is sometimes more successful to apply eyelash curlers to fix the curl.

Coloured Mascara

Coloured mascaras mean holidays and party time, they can look fantastic in shades of plums, blues and navy, especially when applied alongside sparkling eye shadow. Personally, we think they are a bit startling for day wear, when browns and blacks are preferable.

What do you think? What is your favourite or latest mascara - let us know.

How To Create Fantastic Curled Eyelashes Using An Eyelash Curler

Its great to see advertisements in magazines where the model's eyes are virtually popping out of the page with perfectly curled, thick black eyelashes - but how does the makeup artist create this effect? If you are not going to opt for eyelash extensions or fake eyelashes, the easiest option is to use an eyelash curler.

Which Type of Eyelash Curler To Use

Ideally buy a metal eyelash curler as they are stronger than the plastic varieties and create a more defined curl, although both types can do a good job.

Eyelash curler pads will need replacing every couple of months, and good brands of eyelash curlers are supplied with a spare pair of pads. It is important to change the pads quite regularly as they will wear through from the pressure applied to them and also, as with any makeup tools you use near your eyes, keeping the curlers clean and pristine is always a good idea. 

Whether To Buy Heated Eyelash Curlers

It depends whether you put on your makeup near where you keep your hairdryer - if you do it's easy to heat up your curlers with your hairdryer with a quick blast of heat, which saves investing in heated curlers (which you also have to remember to switch on in advance before using). If this doesn't suit you, heated curlers can be obtained pretty cheaply, but I personally don't find them much more effective than the non-heated variety.

How To Use Your Eyelash Curlers

• Use your curlers on clean eyelashes which are free of mascara.
• If you want to - heat up your eyelash curlers for five seconds or so with your hairdryer - touch them before applying to your eyelid in case they are too hot as a burned eye-lid can be pretty sore.
• Gently clamp your lashes near the roots between the curler and the pad and hold there for up to 30 seconds.
• Once your lashes have been curled you can then start to apply your mascara - don't attempt to use your eyelash curler after you have applied any mascara as your lashes can stick to the curler with disastrous results, ie lashes being pulled out at the roots.

You should now have perfectly curled lashes which are ready for a slick of mascara or if you want Vaseline to keep them lush. Curled lashes look a lot thicker and give greater definition to the eyes.

Tips On How To Create Beautiful Thick Looking Eyelashes

Want to flutter your eyelashes? Well, it always helps if your eyelashes are thick and healthy looking and here are some tips to help you make the most of yours.

How To Look After Your Lashes So They Are At Their Beautiful Best

• Always use a gentle and effective eye-makeup remover to remove your mascara - particularly if you are using a waterproof one which is more difficult to remove - you don't want to be pulling your lashes out at the roots to try and get your mascara off.
• Alternatively, use jojoba oil mixed one third to two thirds mineral water and use this (shaken up) along with a cotton wool ball or eye-makeup remover pad to remove your mascara - the jojoba oil lingering on your lashes will condition them as well as removing the makeup.
• Try applying Vaseline to your eyelashes after you have cleansed and moisturised your face at night - it holds in moisture, allowing your lashes to grow stronger and less brittle. Remember to wash it off in the morning though or any makeup you apply will get very smudgy.

Are There Any Mascaras Which Moisturise Your Lashes As Well As Make Them Beautiful?

• As an extra step you can apply a lash enhancing base which moisturises and protects the lashes from drying out such as Chanel Mascara Base Beauté or Lash Enhancing Base before applying your normal mascara over the top.
• If you don't have time for this two step programme look for a mascara which as well as beautifying your lashes will protect, heal and condition them such as Paul Penders Nutricious Colors Mascara.

Let us know your favourite products for enhancing and extending those lashes.

Recommended Products:

• Paul Penders Nutricious Colors Mascara
• Chanel Mascara Base Beauté or Lash Enhancing Base

A Review Of The Cosmo Beauty Awards 2008

I was eager to see what the results were for this year's Cosmo awards and they are available in the October edition of Cosmopolitan - it's the sixth year that they have put beauty products through a thorough testing to find the best of the best. However, for those of you who don't feel like rushing out to buy the magazine, I have reviewed the number one products in the most interesting categories below. There are a real variety of brands that come out top and they are not always the most expensive ones which is always a good thing!

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Lipstick

• Givenchy Rouge Interdit
• Average Price £16.50

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Mascara Award

• Lancome Virtuose Divine Lasting Curves & Length Mascara
• Average Price £19.50

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Skin Cleanser Award

• Urban Retreat The Cleanser
• Average Price £12.00

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Foundation Award

• Chanel Mat Lumiere Longlasting Makeup
• Average Price £25.00

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Everyday Moisturiser Award

• Clarins HydraQuench Cream
• Average Price £30.00

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Anti-Ageing Moisturiser Award

• Dior Capture R60/80 XP Ultimate Wrinkle Restoring Creme
• Average Price £39.00

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Shampoo Award

• Pantene Restorative Time Renewal Shampoo
• Average Price £1.89

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Conditioner Award

• Charles Worthington Dream Hair Lustrous Locks Conditioner
• Average Price £5.49

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Celebrity Scent Award

• Sarah Jessica Parker Covet Eau De Parfum
• Average Price £23.00

Winner Of The Cosmo Best Nail Polish Award

• Revlon Nail Enamel
• Average Price £6.29

As always, I am interested in finding beauty product bargains and any items with a link above will take you to an online store where the products are all cheaper than the average prices above - saving pennies is very important these days but we all still want to be beautiful too!

I hope this is useful - but if you know of any other stores where beauty bargains can be obtained let us all know by leaving your comments :-)