Q: hi Rhia,
Hoping you can help...the tip of my nose and the skin right below it are really prone to turning red, and the cold weather (and cold/flu season) isn't helping! Are there any products you can recommend to help hide the redness? I have heard that using green concealer works?

A: Tell me about it - I get a case of "Rudolph" nose during this colder time of the year too! Fortunately, we have make-up on our side to help us camouflage the redness we get from irritation. :)

First off, with all the nose wiping and blowing, make sure you moisturize the tips of your nose well. Treat yourself to at least 2-ply tissue...and hey spoil yourself with 3-ply if you're blowing your nose constantly! Softer tissue will help to reduce the irritation that comes from the constant friction of you rubbing your nose.

Now in terms of using green concealer, I always advise clients to use a light hand, as it's one of those tricky colours to work with. The use of green concealer is based on colour wheel theory: green is the opposite colour of red so once applied, green helps to neutralize and reduce redness. In the past, I have used green concealer to combat redness whether it be around the nose, for a rash or for a pimple! You do have to be careful to blend it properly....otherwise the green concealer can leave a pale white-green cast on the area applied...and you may end up drawing unwanted attention to that same area you're trying to hide! An easier and more user-friendly colour to work with is a creamy yellow concealer. Apply the yellow in the same manner as you would with the green concealer (start off light because it's always easier to add more!).

How to apply:
1. Distribute the colour correcting concealer over the redness and blend.
2. Apply your skin-tone matching concealer and/or foundation atop.
3. Set the application with a dusting of powder.
4. Pack the concealer in your make-up kit, as you may need to touch up the area once you blow your nose again.

Colour Correctors to try:
Benefit You're Bluffing Concealer Wand (approx $22)
The tube applicator makes it easy to lightly apply the concealer where needed. The formula glides and disguises redness well.

Physicians Formula Gentle Cover Concealer Stick (approx $8)
Physicians Formula concealer comes in Green, Yellow or Pale Yellow. The formula glides on smooth, is non-drying and blends easily into the skin.

Marcelle Universal Concealer Palette ($16)
Use the yellow of this palette to colour correct and then blend with one (or a mix of the skin tone colours). I love this palette - see my review here (oh yeah, and enter the contest to win one!)

Thanks for the great question - especially at this time of the year!

If you have a make-up related question you'd like to ask, drop me an email: rhia[at]artistrhi[dot]com. I look forward to hearing from you!

You may remember Linda from our trial way back in May (just as wedding season was really getting underway). It's hard to believe her beautiful Big Day has already come and gone!! We started Linda's make-up prep early on a Saturday morning (we're talking 6:30 AM!) so you'll have to pardon the quality of the shots. The sun wasn't up as yet and the flash slightly washed out the colour of the shots. Despite the early morning start, Linda and her gorgeous bridesmaids were such troopers! Thanks for the fun morning ladies and congratulations Linda! :)

Check out the rest of the pics here or by clicking the pic above!

Oh Old Man Winter! Ok, I know we're not officially into winter just yet, but we might as well be with the colder weather AND the summer tan long gone by now!! If your skin is feeling a little lacklustre and you're in need of a little make-up pick-me-up, a cream highlighter is a great make-up product to insert into your routine! Here's my take on some tried and tested highlighters:

Laura Mercier Secret Brightener ($30 US)

photo: Laura Mercier

Love this multi-purpose highlighter that has a slight touch of shimmer. Use it to highlight atop the browbone, blend down the temple and atop the cheekbone for shimmer kissed look. Secret Brightener blends with ease and leaves a smooth finish - use it underneath the eyes to instantly brighten the darkest of undereye circles (yes, even mine) and top off with your concealer.

Yves St. Laurent ($40 USD)

photo: YSL

Industry celebrated and award winning Yves St. Laurent's Touche Eclat is a staple in the bags of make-up artists, beauty editors and models! This creamy highlighter gives smooth beautiful coverage in 4 different shades. Touche Eclat is marked at a hefty pricepoint of $40 USD, but the tube goes a long way (you only need to use a small amount per application!) Besides for a product touted as "8 hours sleep in a pen", the benefits of having it far outweight the costs! What I love about this cream highlighter is that it doesn't have any shimmer to it. I even like to swipe a stripe of it down the middle of the nose and blend it for a streamlined look!

Face Atelier

photo: FACE atelier

I swear by Face Atelier's foundations. The silicone-based formula is universally flattering to all skin types, but particularly a great choice for those with dry skin (and we all know with winter, everyone's skin is feeling a bit tighter/drier!). FACE Atelier's Ultra Sheer Pro highlighters are equally as lovable. The silicone-based formula glides on lightweight and blends easily into the skin. You can easily incorporate it into your routine by applying it overtop your foundation or adding it to either your foundation or moisturizer! Mix it with your foundation (ideally also silicone-based) for an instant dewy finish...or add a bit to your moisturizer and apply all over for a healthy and luminous skin glow! Ultra Sheer Pro comes in several tones including Opal (a pearl highlighter), Champagne (a pinky tone that can double as a blush), Peach (can also double as a blush) and Bronze (for a bronzed glow! self-explanatory!). Endless options, but always gorgeous looking skin!!

Benefit's Moon Beam

photo: Sephora

Ok as much as I try to be objective...or at least highlight the positive points about a product, I don't know what all the hype is about with Benefit's Moon Beam highlighter! (Moon Beam is always a feature product in beauty mags, and was even garnered the coveted Allure's Editor Choice Award). It takes a good amount of practice to get the hang of Moon Beam's consistency. Mind you, I do like the nail polish applicator that makes the product easy to apply...and the formula is potent - we're talking high-shine (I'll give Benefit props on that!) But in terms of overall usability, this product is not for the beauty novice, nor for the slow-fingered. Best technique of application: use the nail-polish like applicator to apply a series of tiny dots along the area you want to highlight, and then blend thoroughly (and immediately!). Moon Beam can be great for photoshoots because of the stark and concentrated highlighting contrast, but for an everyday routine, a little goes a long way!!

Important note:
Remember, a highlighting product will only work well on hydrated and healthy skin - it's not meant to replace a good moisturizer! :)

Lazy sunday... ;)

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Rhia Amio
647-300-7442
http://www.artistrhi.com
http://artistrhi.blogspot.com

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Just another glamorous Saturday night! :)
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