Fall is a great time for color.  The softest pop of fresh color on the apples of the cheeks has the amazing ability to wake the skin up and bounce light and life onto the face. For proper application blend down and towards the hair line. If a pop of color on the cheeks feels like too much, opt for softer blush and trying going with a pop of berry, or red on the lips instead. For tips on how to wear red lips check out my blog.

 As the gorgeous glow of tanned summer skin slowly starts to fade, now is the best time to introduce a bronzer.  For the most natural result use a large powder brush and place bronzer on the high points of the face, where the sun hits the face and would naturally tan you.   Hair line, bridge of the nose, cheek bones and chin are a good rule of thumb to follow.

 Be prepared to have 2 foundation colors: darker for summer, lighter for winter.  During transition times you will most likely have to mix the 2 when you’re at the mid wi between stage. One other thing to consider is increasing the type of coverage you use.  For example the lightness and ease of tinted moisturizers are great for the summer; however in the winter months you may find that without the camouflaging effects of the summer tan, more coverage might be nice.

And I mean skinny!  That’s the real beauty of the gel liner.  Along with their water resistant nature, these liners give an incredibly skinny line, which of course makes it perfect for the woman who loves a natural, modern eye that isn’t weighed down by the heaviness of a pencil.  The liner, once placed along the lashes with an ultra thin angled brush also has a smudge time of about 10 to 20 seconds which can be done on the outer edge of the eye using a simple q-tip.  More and more make-up lines are carrying them.  I recommend Bobbi Brown, Clinique or Estee Lauder.  And because the line is so thin, black or dark brown tucked so close to the lashes gives natural definition and the illusion of thicker longer lashes.

Here are five simple steps you can take to make your beauty routine as beautiful for the planet as it is for your body.

1. Read labels and get to know ingredients. Avoid using products that use harmful chemicals — they’re not good for you or the environment.

2. Choose natural products that contain at least 95% natural ingredients, and go organic where you can.

3.  Buy make-up that does not test on animals.

3. Reduce waste. Choose products with less packaging, or packaging made from recycled or recyclable materials. Recycle makeup containers. Bring your own reusable shopping bag.

4. Support Fair Trade initiatives and ethical companies. They improve the lives of disadvantaged people, support environmental restoration and encourage sustainable farming practices, honest marketing and often time’s higher quality ingredients.

5. Most companies will clearly state their policies on everything from recycling to energy use to animal testing. Do your research.

Another great Canadian company that is making a sustainable effort is Cargo. Cargo Cosmetics Plant Love line has been leading the way with high performing makeup combined with sustainable packaging. Not only are the containers made of biodegradable corn, the paper box has flower seeds embedded within in it and can be planted in the garden.

I`ve also heard great things about Envy, and Pure and Simple out of Toronto.

If  you want to learn more Glow.com has an excellence glossary of terms often found on green products.  They also have a great list of reuptable green products and companies.

However, before you go down the list start with the right mindset. Instead of focusing on what you might not want your skin to look like, focus on what you do. For example avoid visualizing the elimination of wrinkles, lines or pimples and focus on visualizing skin that is hydrated, glowing and healthy.

Here are a few more tips:
You’ve heard it before; I’ll say it again: Water.
Avoiding dehydration is very important especially if you’re dealing with skin ailments such as eczema, rosacea, dermatitis and psoriasis. This will prevent flare ups.
Drink less caffeine and limit sugar intake.
Eat a well balanced diet and invest in a good multi-vitamin.
Exercise.
Moderate stress levels.
Sleep 8 to 10 hours a night.
Eat healthy fats to hydrate the skin.
Exfoliate. Keeping the dry dead skin cells of the surface of the skin keep it looking youthful and radiant.
Consider a professional facial once a month.
Use a good moisturizer with a spf. You want a moisturizer that is fully absorbed into the skin. Some of the cheaper moisturizers tend to sit on the surface, not genuinely hydrating the skin.
Invest in a good serum which ultimately treats and repairs the skin while often adding more hydrating benefits.
Use a primer. After the skin has been cleansed, treated and moisturized use a pea size amount of a good primer. A primer gives a radiant look to the skin, while creating a smooth surface for the foundation to be applied over. It also blurs imperfections by creating a soft focus look to the skin. A good primer will also hold the foundation in place and prevent the oils on the face from breaking down the foundation.

Find a foundation that is perfectly matched to your skin and remember less is more. Often on skin that is well taken care I will use a tinted moisturizer or a sheer foundation to even out skin tone and conceal minor imperfections without taking away from the beauty of healthy looking skin. Even if you feel you have more to conceal; investing in great concealer and still using a lightly formulated foundation will produce a look that is much more natural looking.

Beauty really encompasses so many aspects. After working on Artbeauty.ca for over a year it’s a subject I have spent a lot of time thinking about.  We live in a world where perfect beauty is coveted, and lots of the times anyone who attempts to achieve this perfection does so at a price. As women, we are constantly bombarded with these images of perfection, leaving us feeling that we are far from perfect. We relentlessly search for products, or procedures that will satisfy the deep desire to look beautiful and feel beautiful, yet somehow it still continues to elude us. We have days we feel good and some days we feel great.  But how many days do we have where we really  feel beautiful?

The truth is that every woman is beautiful, but sadly so much of the time it goes unnoticed.  I have had so many woman sit in my chair with inner beauty oozing out of them, and beautiful facial features too, but are left distracted by a few wrinkles or other perceived flaws.

Beauty is far more diverse and broad than we’ve been taught by popular culture. Beauty is light, or an inner glow, vitality, health, warmth and someone who is loving towards others and towards themselves.  The list goes on from here of course.

Yes, it’s true the physical attributes of beauty are somewhat hard to escape. But, again, truthfully I have yet to see a woman in my chair who doesn’t have two or three naturally beautiful features to work with.

So, you ask: what is the real secret to the Art of Beauty?  It’s loving every inch of what you’ve got! Your best features, the little differences that set you apart, and the ones that make you truly unique. And lastly, accepting where your at in life.  Embracing your age is aging gracefully.  Once you’ve got that down pat, the rest of beauty is a snap.