Fancy Face Cosmetics

Let’s face it, there is always someone on our holiday shopping list that has everything, follow our gift guide below for this seasons hottest gifts for even the hard to buy for.

Rock n Roll Gifts for the Music Lover
Skullcandy – Aviator Headphones

ADVENTURES FOR THE ADRENALIN JUNKIES
Gift Certificate for Skydiving or Bungee Jumping

FITNESS GIFTS FOR THE WORKOUT GURU
Fresh New Workout Gear

The Tech Savvy
The Apple Ipad

The Entertainer
A Unique Wine Rack

The Diva
Relaxing Day at the Spa

The Chef
A Knife Set

Have you found the perfect gift this holiday season?? Send us your gift ideas to holiday@fancyfacecosmetics.com for your chance to win a $100 Gift Certificate.

Happy Holidays
XOXO
Amanda

Braided Bun
If you’re going from the office to a holiday party, you can easily put your hair up in a braided top knot. Start by pulling your hair into a high ponytail. Separate into three sections and braid it. Then, twist the braid into a knot or bun.

Classic chignon
The chignon can take you from dinner with your boyfriend’s parents to a cocktail party without missing a beat. The classic chignon can be centered, but looks very alluring when placed to one side.

Simple Side Braid
To create a sweet side braid, simply make a low ponytail on one side of your neck, and then braid it. This hairstyle doesn’t have to be done perfectly to look amazing. In fact, if it’s a little messy, it adds to the appeal.

Haute half-up, half-down ‘do
If an updo is not for you, how about a half-up, half-down holiday hairstyle? Simply pull the front portion of your hair up and away from your face, leaving the long, loose waves in the back. Secure your hair with crystal-encrusted combs, beaded clips or a glamorous headband.

Sexy waves
No one says you have to wear your hair up to every party or event. Long waves are sexy and beautiful. To get wonderful waves, spritz dry hair with heat-protecting spray, and then separate it into workable sections. Pin up the top layers so you can easily work with the layers underneath. Using a big barrel curling iron held vertically, wrap a section of the hair around the iron (don’t use the clamp). Wrap from the tip all the way to about two inches from the roots. When you are finished, gently run your fingers through your hair to loosen the curls into beautiful long waves and spritz all over with holding spray to complete the look.

“I think that the most important thing a woman can have next to talent, of course- is her hairdresser.”
Joan Crawford

XOXO
Amanda

We absolutely love Gold Eye makeup right now! It’s seasonally appropriate and will look great on any eye shape or color. Plus– we’re suckers for sparkle. Here’s how to get this look:

1. Prepare your eye by using an eyeshadow primer or foundation so that your eyeshadow will last longer.

2. Apply brown eyeshadow with a flat shadow brush.

3. Next, apply gold eye shadow towards the inner corner of your eye.

4. Sweep smoke shimmer on the outer corner of your eye with a blending brush, creating the sideways “V” shape.

5. Blend out any harsh lines created by the black + gold eye shadows.

6. This is the fun part! Dab Glitz Fix lightly on top of the gold eyeshadow you applied earlier, pick up some gold glitter with your brush, begin patting it on top of the gold eyeshadow, but don’t extend it too much into the original brown eyeshadow.

7. Now you’re going to line your upper lash line with a black gel liner and your lower lash line with a brown gel. Using both browns + blacks through out this tutorial will keep things looking softer and not too harsh.

8. Dab a smudge brush into the brown eyeshadow and smudge it using a dabbing motion along your lower lash line, on top of the liner you just applied. This will help set the eyeliner and also help give you the smoky effect.

9. Curl your lashes and apply Lash Out! mascara, It’s Sweat-Proof, so you can dance the night away with no worries! If you’d like, you can add false lashes to give your look some extra drama.

Use Coupon Code: FancyFamily20 to receive 20% off your purchases on www.fancyfacecosmetics.com

Xoxo,
Nikki

After all of the passed hors d’oeuvres, eggnog, and pumpkin pie, how is anyone supposed to fit into their holiday presents? Arm yourself with our advice and make Frosty melt by avoiding these fitness mistakes you don’t even know you’re making!

Skip The 100 Calorie Packs
Low-cal snacks may seem like a great way to cut your daily intake, but these over processed foods can pack enough sugar to deter serious weight loss. It is the quality of nutrients that is important, not whether a food is low-fat or low-carb. Nutrient-dense foods are energizing and will make it easier to lose weight.

Not-So-Sweet N’ Low
Opting for artificial sweeteners can do more harm to your waistline than a 15-calories sugar packet. Recent studies have shown that aspartame may actually stimulate appetite and bring on a craving for carbohydrates. Even self-proclaimed “natural” sweeteners, like Splenda, made from sugar, are actually made from chlorinating sugar. Did you want a side of swimming pool with your morning coffee?

Cramping Your Style
It’s tempting to slouch and grip the machine when you’re climbing metaphorical Mount Everest on a Stairmaster, but only good posture can prevent overloading the wrong muscles, which can lead to muscle tension, strains, sprains and other injuries.

Eat Around The Clock
Skipping meals can lead to doubling up on portions later on. Make lunch your largest meal because your digestion peaks at mid-day, and it should include protein to maintain alertness. Dinner should be your smallest meal, because your digestion slows down at night. Dinner should include protein, greens and a healthy grain – the carbs will facilitate relaxation.

Add Weight To Lose Weight
While cardio is every girl’s fitness fallback, there are plenty of women ignoring strength training to focus on the treadmill. Strength training and building lean muscle mass is essential for weight control, weight loss and good health in general. Especially as you get older, strength training becomes more important.

Xoxo,
Nikki

So yesterday Nikki discussed giving your man a makeover…don’t worry we didn’t forget about you. Going from blah to brilliant does not require expensive spa treatments, high end cosmetics or a trip to fashion week. There are tons of ways to give yourself a mini makeover and really liven up your look without breaking the bank. Most of it starts with simple things you can do to improve on what you already have. A few inexpensive things to add to the mix and before you know it everyone will want to know the secret to your fabulous makeover.
1. Take stock of how you look now and how you want to look. If you want more radiant skin, different hair or a new look in clothing, you need to prioritize and come up with a plan that can work with both your schedule and budget.

2.Tackle inner beauty first. Look at your skin and hair and determine if you need improved nutrition to perk up both the way you feel and look. One of the biggest contributors to looking blah is feeling blah because of poor diet or lack of sleep. Be sure to get adequate rest, drink enough water during the day and make some dietary changes to help your body and skin look and feel more radiant. These changes cost basically nothing and have long lasting effects.

3.Visit a beauty school for a discount new hair style. Cosmetology schools provide less expensive services than established salons. Decide before you go what kind of new look you want for your hair and discuss with the instructors who will be best able to work with you. The services are less expensive and you won’t have any high end perks, but you will get a new hair cut, color or style for much less.

4.Shop cheap. Go to vintage and thrift stores. Often times you can find new or barely used designer clothing. When you shop these types of stores you never know what you might find.

5. Buying one or two makeup products a week will help your wallet and in a few months you will have a killer makeup collection. This season try lining your eye in a bright new shadow color or be brave and rock a red lip.

6.Whiten and brighten, clean and trim. Check your teeth and use a store bought whitener. Brighter teeth are one of those improvements that can get you noticed for the right reasons. Make sure your eyebrows are trimmed and shaped, the power of a clean brow is so underestimated.

Send me before and after pictures of your at home makeover and you could win FREE makeup!!

XOXO
Amanda

When it comes to holiday travel, most people are looking for ways to reduce the amount of stress, time, and worry that is typically associated. With a little careful planning and research, everyone heading out on a vacation can eliminate this unnecessary stress.

When travelling by air remember packing guidelines,most airlines have a 50 pound limit…you would be surprised how quickly that adds up. Leave yourself enough time on travel day to get to the airport and checked in on time…no one likes to be the one holding up a plane full of people by boarding at the last minute. I personally can’t fly with out my travel blanket and a stack full of gossip magazines,I would also recommend a dose of Airborne before boarding, being sick on vacation is not an option.

For those travelling by car, get a vehicle inspection before you hit the road. Don’t forget the the address of where you are heading and a GPS handy for those of you who are directionally challenged. Don’t forget to stock up on great music for the ride and some yummy snacks.

A few days before you hit the road, research the town and surrounding area where you will be staying. Try using Resturant.com for great dinning deals and Trip Advisor for hotel reviews.

Don’t stress about your normal gym routine being interrupted, try going for a run outside or working your legs by hitting the stairs.

Where ever you might be traveling this season, safe travels!  Stress isn’t Fancy so breathe easy and enjoy what the new city has to offer. 

xoxo
Amanda

Let’s face it ladies, we’re not the only ones who get stuck in a beauty rut. Whether your guy has been sporting the same haircut since high school, or his “scruffy” looks more slimy than sexy like Ryan Gosling, here’s how to help him clean up his look. Trust me, they will appreciate your advice, because it’s you they’re trying to look good for.

To get a look this rough without going overboard, shave only once a week to keep facial hair in check. Unless you look like Teenwolf after a few days, then shave every other day.

How To Shave
Curious how to get that perfect shave? It’s all about the tools, and more doesn’t always mean better.
Considering most men go over the same section of the face more than once, you could potentially be gliding the blade over each area up to six times with the triple razor even though you performed only two passes of the razor.
A.K.A. If your guy has sensitive skin, he might want to skip the triple blade razor and opt for a single blade.

The Eyebrow Do’s & Don’ts
It’s no secret that eyebrows can make or break your appearance, and this truth is no exception for men. For guys, just a few tweezes here and there can make a huge difference; take it easy or he’ll wind up with a more feminine look. Take a cue from Jake Gyllenhaal, who keeps his brows looking clean without losing the masculine shape.

The Short of It
Taylor Lautner’s texturized hair is just one example of how to show off shorter strands amongst the sea of spiky ‘dos. The secret to making short hair stand out among the rest? Keep it clean and well-styled, without being too simple. Lautner’s smooth faux-hawk certainly fits that bill.

A Happy Medium
If your guy has medium length hair, make sure it moves. Jon Hamm’s medium ‘do has movement and shape, which allows for easy styling like the dapper look he’s sporting here. There’s no better way to update your guy’s look than by giving him the right haircut for his face shape; in the case of Hamm’s oval face shape that means a nice, happy medium.

The Long
Us girls aren’t the only ones rocking long locks these days. If a guy has longer hair, he should use it to show off his personal style, just like Ashton Kutcher. His long and naturally wavy chestnut hair is fashion-forward, while showing off his casual and cool persona.

Going Grey
George Clooney proves that he does get better with age, thanks to his sexy salt and pepper hair. (The deep brown eyes and killer smile don’t hurt, either.) But if your guy can’t stand the grey hairs, he’s better off heading to a professional stylist, than trying an at-home kit. It’s extremely difficult to determine the right hair color and often times when choosing the wrong formula, a man’s hair will fade to red. If it’s just a few strands, have a professional color the sections, as opposed to coloring the whole head.

Good luck! Keep me posted on the results!
xoxo,
Nikki

The holiday season is here, and that means so are the parties! This time of year is always filled with black tie balls, company holiday parties, cocktails with friends and who can forget the great fundraiser galas. If you are like us what you wear to the party is just as important to the party itself. Follow this guide so you always show up just fancy enough with out going over board.

Casual
Meeting the girls for a few holiday drinks…grab a pair of skinny jeans. Top with a flowy blouse, fitted leather bomber and some stylish boots. Don’t forget to accessorize with some earrings and a cute scarf.

Business Casual
Just because you are heading out with work colleagues doesn’t mean you need to stay true to your favorite khaki pants and boring collared shirt. Try spicing up a pair of fitted black dress pants with with festive fur or a sparkly top.

Cocktail
What girl doesn’t love to throw on a cute cute cocktail dress and dance the night away. Ditch your little black dress and try a bold color. Look for a dress with unique details, the one shoulder dresses are taking over this season.

Black-tie
A black-tie event offers you the perfect way to flaunt your best attributes so make sure to pick a dress that flatters your figure. Don’t forget to fancy up your dress with a great pair of chandelier earrings and a clutch purse.

Need helping picking your holiday outfits?? Email our experts fashion@fancyfacecosmetics.com

Stay Fancy!
XOXO
Amanda

Did you drink too much eggnog and scoop seconds of the mashed potatoes? Use these slimming hair and makeup secrets to erase that holiday bulge in the time it takes to ask Santa for a gym membership.

Give Your Hairstyle Some Height
Add volume to your hair around the crown area by teasing the roots and spraying with hairspray. This extra height will give you the illusion of a longer and more narrow face. Jennifer Morrison’s volume-boosting braid is a great example.

Go Nude
Stick to neutral tones of blush. No strong pinks! Instead of swirling blush on the apples of your cheeks, do the entire cheekbone, blended softly into the hairline. This will emphasize your bone structure. Round circles of pink blush could pronounce rounded features, while a more blended application like Taylor Swift’s blush effect, creates more depth. Also, apply a light dusting of powder to cut down on shine and avoid using shimmer all over the face. The more light that is reflected from your skin, the bigger your face will appear, so stick to shimmer products on your eyes and cheekbones.
*Try our Blush in Supermodel to achieve this look!

Go For Side-Swept Bangs
Get a haircut with long side swept bangs and jagged pieces around the cheekbones. Bangs that cut across your face diagonally, like Jayma Mays’ hairstyle, will reduce the appearance of a full face while long cheek-level pieces can break up the span of wide cheeks.

Stick With Sleek Hairstyles
A straight hairstyle will flatter your face without adding unnecessary volume at cheekbone areas. Just like clothing, the sleeker and more streamlined the style, the more slimming the end result. You can’t beat Jennifer’s blowout.

Enhance Your Cheekbones
Learn how to contour underneath your cheekbones using a deep taupe colored shading powder. First sweep translucent powder all over your face, then blend the contour powder right under your cheekbones similar to Reese Witherspoon’s look. This creates the appearance of a shadow cast by your cheekbones, making them look more defined. Also, sweep a little contour powder under your chin to reduce the appearance of a double chin.
*Try our new Sweat Resistant Mineral Powders to achieve this look!

Use these tips and tricks, and stop feeling guilty about that extra slice of pumpkin pie!

xoxo,
Nikki

It’s holiday season, which means your social circuit is officially in full swing. But don’t you hate it when friends post less-than-flattering party pictures of you on Facebook? We’ve put our pageant and red carpet training to good use to share our best makeup, hair and picture posing tips to ensure you look hot in every shot.
Find Your Best Angle
To determine the angles from which your face looks its best, Experiment by posing in the mirror; it will quickly become obvious which angles are most flattering for you. Once you’re aware of this, use the best angles as much as possible in the future. For example, Kim Kardashian always tries to be photographed with her chin down and from her left.

Chin Up
The dreaded double chin – it’s the worst, right? Even if you don’t have one, you’ve probably been photographed from an angle that made it look like you did. How can you avoid it? It’s always best to stick your chin out and slightly pulled away from your neck. It will feel awkward, but the camera doesn’t detect the proportion of how far you pull out your chin. That way your jawline is stronger, and you will help to prevent a double chin look.

Look Longer And Leaner
You’ll rarely see a celebrity standing fully face-forward to the camera. To help your body look its longest and leanest like Dianna Agron is doing here, think of a Miss America contestant’s traditional pose. Never stand flat to the camera – always angle your body a bit to the side. If you angle yourself slightly, you can take down several inches off your hips. Always put one foot in front of the other as well.

You Put Your Hand Upon Your Hip
It’s not just a classic song lyric from the ’90s; it’s great posing advice that stars like Eva Longoria clearly follow. A great trick for making hips look slimmer is to pull your body forward from the waist up slightly towards the camera. Put one or both of your hands on your hips. Your arms will look more toned as you will be flexing the muscle slightly when you are holding them on your hips.

No One Likes A Faker
To get a genuine smile in your pictures, think of the camera lens as a person (a person you’d like would definitely help) and then smile. If you’re posing for a series of photos, don’t keep holding your smile—your mouth is going to start shaking and feeling awkward. Move your jaw around between pictures for a glowing grin like Anne Hathaway’s.

Helpful Hints
What are some easy ways to avoid taking a bad photo? I have a few never-fail tips: Wear dark colors in photos. Don’t wear shiny material; it reflects light and can make even the slightest bulge look much bigger than it is. My favorite trick is to make sure you add some sheen to your hair for the photograph. It’s so simple, but shiny hair can make a big difference in a photo. Plus, regardless of your fancy gown, fierce shoes, or flawless makeup, dull-drab hair will make YOU look dull and drab…no bueno! —I love Organix Cherry Blossom Spray. The flashes picking up that shine are a great thing, and will have your hair looking like you paid a fortune, rather than 5.99 at your local drugstore! Winning!

Send us pictures of your best red carpet worthy pose, and you could win free makeup from Fancy Face Cosmetics!

Xoxo,
Nikki