Beauty Tip - Nude And Improved

A heavily made up face in the summer time just looks out of place and uncomfortable. I understand we all want a little help with our color, I do too, but sometimes less really is more. Especially when you can play up the natural warm tones of summer to enhance your own natural beauty. Not to mention, nude lips, luminous eyes and radiant skin, looks fresh and feminine year round.

Naked Is A State Of Mind

Or shade of lipstick – look for something pale, satin with a hint of sparkle. This soft iridescence will provide a pretty reflection without looking slick and gooey like some lip glosses. Plus it won't gather at the corners of the mouth and look like drool like other lip glosses. Keep the rest of your face simple with a light sweep of pale pink or baby blue shadow on the eyelid, and finish with a coat of mascara. Skip blush completely and dot on a bit of pearly highlighter along the cheekbones for a soft, natural glow that goes from grocery store to glamorous date night.

Beauty Tip – Steal His Stuff

Remember that episode of Weeds where Esteban threw a hissy fit when he smelled Nancy wearing his deodorant? It's okay if you don't, I don't really want to talk about Weeds, I want to talk about the reaction men have to smelling their deodorant on their lady. In the case of Esteban and Nancy, he didn't like it one bit (oh snap, I said I wasn't going to talk about Weeds) but that's pretty much because one woman had already emasculated him, his machismo couldn't handle more of the same from his wife.

My own personal experience in this department has been wildly successful, so much so that I've been known to stop by the cologne counter at Nordstroms for a quick spritz of Eternity for Men before a night on the town. Smelling a traditionally “manly” scent on a woman makes the male brain go all funky and territorial, it's like they have to replace those pheromones with their own in order to feel all is well in the world. My boyfriend prefers the smell of Old Spice deodorant on me, compared to the sweet, floral varieties offered to ladies, and I have to say I agree. Shaking things up a bit by sampling his Speed Stick is great, but it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the treasure trove of products hiding in your man's medicine cabinet.

Such as:

Scrubs – Men have harder skin that can stand up to rougher treatment which is why their exfoliators have larger particles making the products made for a man's face the perfect thing to scrub your back, elbows, legs, and anywhere else extra scrubbing may be needed. A good one to try is Neutrogena Men Razor Defense Face Scrub (Amazon.com, under $6.00).

Shave Soothers – Want to prevent razor burn on your dry skin? Reach for his shaving cream because it's super moisturizing. While you're at it, snag his shaving oil as well – a little dab along the bikini line before will result in a smoother shave after. I happen to like the sandalwood pre-shave oil offered by The Art of Shaving (amazon.com, $24.00) because it smells great and works even better.

Stop fretting about the smell already, the days of tell-tale manly smell are practically over! Many of today's products for men have toned-down aromas that are suitable for either gender. Consider also that many products marketed to men also come with a more reasonable price tag, and you're sure to see the logic in raiding his shaving kit.   

Pick The Perfect Outfit – In A Snap

Normally I avoid having my picture taken at all costs, I just don't think I'm photogenic. But when it comes to getting ready for a big, important event, I take my cues from celebrities, after all they're always having their picture taken.

When I'm getting ready for a big day, the night before I like to try on my entire outfit, accessories and all, then snap a picture of myself. Mirrors are cruel, but pictures provide an even more objective representation of your outfit. With just a quick click and a glimpse at the preview window on my digital camera and I can know in an instant if my outfit isn't working.