Longing for the appearance of lush, dramatic lashes but wary to make the investment in semi-permanent enhancement solutions? Why not try a lash primer as a base coat beneath your favorite mascara to pump up the volume and extend your lash length?

I’ve always been skeptical of the abilities of lash primers, choosing to stick to my finely honed mascara routine. I firmly believed that the perfect combination of a curl setting mascara, followed by a volumizing and lengthening formula would allow me to achieve the most fake-looking natural lashes possible. That is, until I tried Laura Geller’s Lash Spackle Pre-Mascara Eyelash Primer. The lengthening properties of this primer are astounding. By simply applying the formula prior to my usual mascara application, I had lashes that nearly reached my brows in no time.

While the formula does wonders for length and volume, I found that immediately after applying it, the curl fell slightly. To combat this, I suggest curling your lashes a bit more than usual to compensate for the slight straightening effect you can expect.

Don’t be scared by the blue tint! The color is designed to add dimension to your mascara, not dominate it, and is undetectable under your favorite shade. As an added bonus, the primer is also packed with conditioning ingredients that leave your lashes supple and pliable, not permed stiffly into place.

The result is natural, beautiful looking lashes that are unbelievably full, long and healthy. Overall, I’m hooked on this primer to achieve that enhanced-lash-look at home.

Are you a fan of lash primers? Are there any formulas that you’ve had success with? Any flops?

One of the trends we are seeing for spring is the return of the natural makeup look. This is not to say that a dramatic smoky eye and vivid runway colors are extinct, but for everyday, the fresh faced look rules. Going au natural is more popular than ever and muted, natural looking colors can be seen throughout the New Year from nude platform pumps to “greige” nails and everything in between. This new color palette boasts shades of tan, camel, cement, clay, stone and many other muted tones in between giving the traditional Roy G. Biv a run for its money.

For a simple take on the trend try a subtle lip color like Koh Gen Do’s Maifanshi Lipstick in Nude Beige. This buttery soft lipstick has the consistency of a lip cream and employs intensive conditioning agents to soften lips as you wear it. It is so moisturizing in fact, that it is tempting to use this lipstick all day long in place of your favorite chapstick. Good thing the color is sheer enough to get away with it!

If you can’t totally commit to the popular new matte look just yet, follow the lipstick with a coat of the brand’s Maifanshi Lip Gloss in Juicy Beige. This silky lip gloss offers the treatment benefits of a lip balm plus sheer, shimmering light beige color.

Koh Gen Do products are available online at www.kohgendocosmetics.com and Barneys New York.

Are you willing to take the nude trend beyond your nail polish?

2010 taught us that brows were back in a big way. 2010 also taught us the importance of mastering DIY beauty routines to save some bucks. Clean, groomed brows are the easiest way to achieve a polished appearance and you don’t need to head to a salon to get the look. Deanna Netti-Cahill, “The Brow Diva” and owner of the Brow Diva product line shares some of her best brow secrets so you can get the perfect brows at home without breaking the bank.

Let them Grow!

The trick to getting the perfect shape is to start out with a full set of brows. Growing out your brows is almost as hard as growing out your bangs- the urge to prematurely tweeze can be overwhelming. But there is also no need to look like Oscar the Grouch during this awkward phase. Use Brow Diva’s Brow Control, a clear brow gel to keep strays in place and looking tame – and to keep YOU away from the tweezers.

Know your Shape
Once you have achieved a full set of brows, you’re ready to tweeze… Carefully! After all, you’ve put a lot of work into growing out your brows. The trick to tweezing like a pro is knowing what shape works best for your face type. Not to thin, not to thick with a clear beginning and an end. Draw an imaginary line from where your nostril meets the bridge of your nose and go straight up. This is where your brow should begin (so many people over wax and over tweeze giving you that deer in headlights look.) End the brow by drawing an imaginary line from your nostril to the outside corner of your eye (even a tad longer). Tweeze the stray hairs in the middle. Start at the beginning, go up to the arch (at a slight incline) and then tweeze your way back down to the end (at a slight decline). Only tweeze the obvious hairs and what you’re left with is the perfect shape for your face!

Learn to Trim
Trimming your brows sounds super scary and at some point you were probably told never ever to put scissors to your brows. But it isn’t as hard as you may think and when done correctly makes a world of difference. To start, purchase a pair of high quality scissors and a brow brush like the Brow Diva Duo Brush to get the hairs under control.

Step 1: Using the spooley end of the brush, starting with the inner most part (closest to the nose), brush the hair straight up, hold the hair in place with one hand and with the other hand carefully trim the long hairs with the point of the scissors at a slight angle down.

Step 2: For the arched area, brush the hair in the direction of growth, hold the hair in place with one hand and with the other hand trim the longest hairs, always at a slight angle. Think of an inverted “V” and carefully trim out the arch.

Step 3: For the outer 1/3 of the brow, brush the hair towards the temple, hold the hair in place with one hand and trim from the end up at a slight angle on the outside of the brow.

Choose the Correct Color
I have had clients come to me with the most amazing brows that are not being highlighted to their advantage because they are either not using any brow products at all or they are picking the wrong shade. Repeat after me: Every set of brows will benefit from brow products. I strongly encourage my customers to stay away from pencils and stick with using a brow base and a brow powder. When choosing the hue for you, simply choose a color that is an exact match to your eyebrow hair or a shade lighter, never go darker unless you’re going for a Groucho look.

Do you have any additional at-home brow grooming secrets to share? Tell us what worked for you and what didn’t!

We’ve all made those beauty mistakes we wish we could take back. From 80’s hair to streaky spray tans and unflattering lip shades, the list of offenses goes on. Fortunately most of these beauty indiscretions can be corrected with minimal time and effort. More permanent beauty regrets like tattoos, however, present a greater challenge, and constantly trying to hide unwanted ink can be a daunting task.

Luckily, Dermablend has an easy system to hide your ink with their Leg & Body Tattoo Primer, Leg and Body Cover, and Setting Powder. In just 3 simple steps you’ll be able to conceal unwanted tattoos anywhere on your body and wear your favorite dress or shorts with confidence.

Start with Dermablend Leg & Body Tattoo Primer to help to conceal tattoos on the body and improve the application of Leg and Body Cover Foundation for a natural, flawless look while enhancing wearability and smudge resistance properties. This smooth, blendable primer glides on easily, is suitable for large surface areas and can conceal tattoos for up to 12 hours.

Follow with Dermablend Leg & Body Cover, a full coverage body foundation for moderate to major body skin flaws. This lightweight formula with high purity pigments offers natural skin tone shades and texture for up to 16 hours of coverage.

Finally, apply Dermablend Setting Powder to enhance wearability of the Leg & Body Cover. Its transparency allows for clear coverage, and is fragrance free.

Retailing for only $21-$26, this line is an economical, convenient alternative to pricey, painful and time consuming tattoo removal options. Products are available online at www.dermablend.com.

Don’t forget about your body! Even though we tend to cover up with bulky sweaters, tights and turtle necks during the chilly winter months, it’s important not to neglect the skin underneath. Prevent the irritation of dry, itchy skin with an exfoliating body scrub like June Jacobs Lemon Sugar Body Polish. This decadent scrub is infused with a refreshing citrus scent and contains sugar granules (a natural source of alpha hydroxy acid) steeped in rich safflower, hazlenut, seasame seed and avacado oils for extreme softening benefits. Use it in the shower once or twice a week to scour away dry patches and reveal soft, silky skin underneath. What I especially love about this scrub is the light, lasting moisturizing effect of the essential oils that remain on skin long after you have rinsed. Skin feels sumptuously soft all day long!

Available for $48.00 online at www.junejacobs.com

Now that your skin is softened and exfoliated, maintain the effects with an intensive moisturizer to prevent environmental damage. Try a double duty formula like Youthology Serum Infused Moisture Cream that not only protects skin from the drying effects of the bitter winds, but also provides the added benefit of powerful anti-aging, collagen producing ingredients. The cream employs a unique technology with active ingredient Rejuvatin, that coats the creases and crevices in skin to gently pull them back together, smoothing out the surface of the skin. Apply all over or target dry areas for an instant shot of moisture to parched skin. Get the product online at www.youthology.com.

If you love how smooth your skin feels after a professional microdermabrasion session, but just can’t justify the cost after all the holiday expenses, DDF’s Revolve 400X Micro-Polishing System is the perfect solution. You can achieve silky smooth skin in the privacy of your own home with this innovative device that delivers doctor’s office quality results at home at a fraction of the cost of an in-office treatment. At only $95, this device can be used over and over to achieve professional grade results in your own bathroom. The soft foam disc rotates up to 400 times per minute to polish away surface imperfections, fine lines and dead skin cells to expose healthy, luminous skin. For optimal exfoliation benefits, use the device after an at home facial peel to remove any dead skin that has been loosened. The result – bright, silky smooth skin that defies the dry air and frigid temperatures. Available on Sephora.com.

Come back tomorrow to find out how to maintain your glow all winter long.

Winter weather affecting your mood? Cheer up, at least your skin doesn’t have to be lackluster during the 2011 cold stretch. This week we are focusing on skin care solutions to cover all your winter skin woes.

We’ll kick things off with Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Peel. If you thought pumpkin was purely for fall, think again….its warm, soothing scent is the perfect remedy to harsh temperatures outdoors. With a scent vaguely reminiscent of spiced pumpkin pies, Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Peel will do more than let you relive the holiday festivities and desserts! Packed with anti-aging anti-oxidants and Vitamin A, it promotes cell turnover and does away with surface impurities. Unlike a lot of peels that use harsh, stinging chemicals, this formula employs pumpkin enzymes to gently exfoliate and dissolve dead skin cells. Leave it on for a quick 5 minutes, and rinse off to reveal soft, radiant and refreshed skin. Only a small amount of the product needs to be applied, so it will really last! Priced at $44 this product can be found on Sephora.com.

Check back tomorrow for an easy way to maximize these exfoliation benefits!

When it comes to fine lines and aging, dermatologists agree that Retinol is one of the most effective ingredients on the market – but why exactly? With so many different ingredients and vitamins claiming to hold anti-aging super powers, it can be hard to decipher which ones work and which don’t. We have the complete low-down on Retinols, how they work and why they are important, from prominent Boston dermatologist, Dr. Ranella Hirsch.

How long does it generally take to see results from a Retinol product?
Dr. Hirsch: Every person is different but typically we advise that patients give a minimum of 8-12 weeks before deciding if something is not working. Vitamin A derivatives, of which Retinol is an example, are designed to be long-term solutions. The longer you use it, the better, so the imperative is to stick with the regimen and give it a chance to work.

As a dermatologist, what is the number one reason patients don’t stick with their Retinol regimen?
Dr. Hirsch: Irritation. Unlike many other creams used for the skin, e.g. moisturizers which are best “slathered on,” the skin is extremely capable of absorbing Vitamin A products and thus needs only a very little bit applied. A tendency to utilize too much is often what results in irritation. A little bit used over time yields the best outcomes.

What are the benefits of using a Retinol product that also contains hyaluronic acid?
Dr. Hirsch: Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, or a product that attracts water to the skin. Its effects allow for rapid improvement (albeit shorter lasting) in the appearance of fine lines, especially around the eyes where skin is very thin. It is a great ingredient to seek out when you want to improve the appearance around the eye rapidly.

Sold on the importance of Retinols to your anti-aging regiment? Try a product like Vichy Laboratoires’ revolutionary LiftActiv Retinol HA total wrinkle care which uniquely combines Retinol and hyaluronic acid to deliver a potent anti-aging cocktail!

Products are available at vichyusa.com.