(Please forgive my awkward moments – I’m just getting used to being back on camera!)
Products Used:

Nvey Eco Moisturizing Mascara
RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-Up in 33
RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek in Raptue
Alima Pure Eye Detail Brush #35
RMS Beauty Cream Eye Shadow in Solar & Karma
Scotch Naturals Non-Toxic Nail Polish Tartan Swizzle &
Macbeth’s Dream

I love an elegant updo but the 45 bobby pins and half bottle of hairspray it takes to lock it in are sooo not sexy.  Always rock a hairstyle that’s like a great date; up for anything.  Fivel’s pretty, loose waves are just as good for dinner at ABC Kitchen as they are for a long walk on the Marina.  To get this touchable look, wash and condition with shine-boosting, softening  Acure Organics Moroccan Argan Oil + Argan Stem Cell Duo, then mist it all over with Yarok Feed Your Ends Leave-In Conditioner and let it air dry while hand-twisted up in ringlets.  If your hair won’t hold a curl to save its life, give it a once-over scrunching with Amazon Beauty Rahua Voluminous Hairspray while you untwist it.  It’ll give you extra hold but still feel soft, not crunchy.

Too much foundation and powder are like armour against your date.  You’re not on camera (we hope), so let your skin shine through and glow!  To get Vanessa’s bronze babe look, treat yourself the night before to a Chocolate Sun Cocoa Glow Sunless Tanning session – the obligatory  pretanning exfoliation will make your skin softer and the tanning will disguise any flaws.  The night of, make your collarbones, calves, and decollete pop with a kiss of Vapour Organic Beauty Halo Body Spotlight.  Don’t overdo the powder or foundation!

Fact: Dates don’t like lipstick.  As sexy and confident as it makes you feel when you’re wearing it, it really doesn’t say “come hither” to your date the way we’d think.  Look pretty, polished, and attract attention to your lips and cheeks by using sheer, cream color instead.  It helps if it’s edible too, like Ilia Pure Lip Care and Kjaer Weis Cream Blush Compact.

Fragrance should always be personal. I’ve always believed that only the person lucky enough to be very close to you should smell it on you, not everyone in the room with you!  Don’t wear a synthetic fragrance that’s so common it may trigger a subconscious association with the other 100 women your date may have smelled it on and don’t wear so much of it that your date can’t smell their food.  Tata Harper Body Oil and Honore des Pres Vamp a NY are my go-to get-close, sexy scents.

Stress isn’t cute. Whether you’re worried about what your date thinks of you or your worried about not having a date, worrying about either never got me anything but extra worry-wrinkles!  Invite and attract the love you seek with a little help from Katie Hess’ magical Lotus Wei Infinite Love flower elixirs.

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just a night off from work/kids/school, beauty should be part of the fun, not the chore! Avoid making it anything but love-ly with these dos and don’ts and SHARE YOUR DATE NIGHT BEAUTY DOS AND DON’TS with us on Facebook!

1. Always start with clean, properly hydrated skin and always wait at least 5 minutes (after applying your moisturizer) before  applying any makeup. Clean, moisturized skin is the best canvas for makeup.  Apply too soon and the moisturizer may prevent the makeup from staying put.

2. Prep the face, neck and lids with a base layer.
If you have fine lines or uneven texture, use a smoothing primer like Vapour Organic Beauty Stratus Instant Skin Perfector.
If your application tends to go all shiny after a couple hours, prep with a mattifier like Amala Purifying Mattifier.
If your color always seems to evaporate or absorb after a couple hours, use a durable base layer like Vive Sana Solar To Polar Ultra.

3. Use blotting papers after applying oil or wax based products –they’ll lift the excess oil but leave the color.  These work surprisingly well on cream eyeshadows too!  If you have the time, experiment with a layering technique – apply cream shadow, blot, apply a tiny bit of powder over the cream, blot, apply more cream shadow, blot.  It sounds more step-y than it is.  If you need extra long eyeshadow wear for a special occasion, give it a try!

4. Always set powder with a facial mist to avoid looking chalky.  A fine mist will form microscopic water-color capsules and create a naturally dewy airbrushed effect.

5. Reapply!  No one here is going to tell you that reapplying isn’t part of the natural makeup routine.  Without icky synthetic fixatives and colorants, you’re not likely to get  24 hour wear but with nourishing, skin-loving  natural ingredients instead of harsh, disruptive ones, you can think of every touch-up as a pampering beauty treat, not a chore!

What tips and tricks have you discovered with natural makeup performance?  Share them with us on Facebook!