Unfortunately, we haven’t had much time to work on our blog lately since we’ve been so busy!  Hopefully we will be able to get back to blogging really soon, until then please be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so that you can find out what’s new with The StarShine Company.  The September newsletter is definitely one you won’t want to miss!  Sign up today!

And be sure to visit The StarShine Company for all your Hand Dipped Incense, Perfume Oil and Mineral Makeup needs!  The best and biggest variety of scents and colors!

A color everyone must have in their eye shadow palette is white.  A small dot of white on the inside corner of the eye, close to the tear duct can make eyes look brighter and really open the eyes.  This is especially a great tip for those who feel they may have narrow eyes, or heavy lids.  This simple little trick can make your eyes appear more open and it only takes a quick second to dot it in place!

To brighten your eyes using The StarShine Company (Organic & Vegan!) Mineral Eye Shadow, select our Easter Egg color which is a beautiful pearly white, perfect for this technique.

Honey Milk Bath Soak

We wanted to share this amazing bath soak recipe.  It’s so simple yet will soften and soothe your skin just as good as, if not better than, expensive store or boutique bought products.  Give it a try and tell us what you think!

What you need:

• 3 Tbs. Honey
• 1 Cup Hot Water
• 2 Tbs. Milk Powder

Start by adding the honey into the hot water and mix well until honey is dissolved.  Next add in the powdered milk until mixed well.  Now here comes the good part, pour the mixture into your warm bath water and relax!  Use the same day you make it, or if you must store it, this mixture will only stay good for 1-2 days refrigerated.

We hope you enjoy this soothing bath recipe!  If you like it let us know!!

Want the perfect Perfume Oil to Roll On after your bath?  Try our Oatmeal, Milk & Honey!  Or of course, any of your favorite Perfume Oil fragrances from The StarShine Company work great too!

(Recipe from http://www.craftbits.com)

We recently launched our Pastel Collection just in time for Spring, but now that Summer is here, can you still pull off pastels?  Yes, indeed you can!  Line your eyes with a black liner, add a brilliant touch of shimmery white or gold to the inside corner of your eyes and finish the look with a sweep of your favorite pastel shade, a beautiful purple color like the model in the photo is wearing is gorgeous for brown eyed girls!  I recommend our “Jellybean” from our Pastel collection, not quite as dark as the one pictured, but still a beautiful purple shade you can use to recreate this look.

(Photo from Glamour Online)

OK, I suppose a company that sells makeup probably shouldn’t blog about this but we sell Mineral Makeup which helps your natural beauty stand out, we don’t sell the kind of makeup that you slather on with a paint-roller and hope for the best, so I feel comfortable discussing this important topic!

You definitely don’t want to completely cover your natural beauty, you want to enhance those beautiful features!  You can keep your makeup beautiful, light and fresh, which is what looks best on everyone.  You don’t want your makeup applied so thick and heavy everyone can tell from three blocks away that you are wearing makeup.  A subtle application is best.

To start out you’ll want to use the best canvas you can, just like an artist would.  A clean, exfoliated face is preferred to skin that is dull, flaky and dry.  Not everyone can exfoliate frequently because they may just have more sensitive skin, well that’s OK, exfoliate when you can and the rest of the time wash your face with a gentle cleanser to keep your face fresh and clean.

One step that is often ignored, especially with those who have oily or combination skin is moisturizing.   Of course, you’ll want to make sure your moisturizer is completely absorbed and your face is dry to the touch, before applying your makeup.  Utilizing a great moisturizer before your makeup can serve the same purpose as a primer and create a nice smooth canvas for you to begin your work of art on.  No need to purchase a primer product, now you’ve just saved yourself some money!  And a moisturizer with SPF is always your best bet to keep your skin young healthy!

Finish up your look with a setting spray or setting powder (or both!) can really help pull your look together.  It can tone down your makeup just a touch, in case you accidentally over did it, or if you accidentally chose a color that was too bright for your complexion or a given look.  Perhaps the pink you picked was perfect in the bathroom but when you step outside into natural lighting perhaps it’s just way to pink!  After using your setting powder, your look will be brought down slightly so you don’t have to go wash your face and start all over again!

Just remember to keep your look fresh and natural, and enhance, not cover your natural beauty and you’ll be ahead of the game!  And looking beautiful!

There may not be many women willing to wear such a bright eyeliner, but Katy Perry is practically fearless with her eye makeup.  She obviously isn’t afraid to go bright and bold!  Katy lined her eyes with a black liner followed closely by a shimmery aqua.  And a swipe of an orangey pink, just a little dab of white in the corners of her eyes and viola!  A bold perfectly summery look.

Want the look?  Easy!  First line your eyes with a thin line using “Reaper” which is a mostly matte black from our Goth Collection.  Next, line right up next to the black with a slightly thicker line, our “Sea Foam” from our 80’s collection.  Finish with a quick swipe of “Champange” on the lids and you’ve got it!

Never lined with a powder before?  It’s easy!  But to make it even easier you can use a wetliner/foiling medium or plain ol’ water!  Just tap out a little bit of your pigment and a tiny drop of water and mix until you have yourself a homemade liquid eyeliner.  This is a great little tip and best of all you can now make any of our Mineral Eye Shadow’s a liner too!

         
(From Left to Right, Reaper, Sea Foam and Champagne.)

Available at The StarShine Company.

(Photograph from Glamour Magazine online.)

In July we will be launching a new scent.  Blueberry Pomegranate is on the menu!  It’s a strong, bright scent perfect for summertime, but this one is going to be great all year round as well.  We describe it as a refreshingly tart and tangy blend of ripe blueberries and juicy red pomegranate.  Fans of pomegranate scents will definitely have to try this one, and those who aren’t huge on pomegranate, should still give it a whirl especially if you like strong fruity scents!  This one might just change your mind.

As with most of our scents, it’s available in both our Hand Dipped Incense Sticks and Cones as well as our Perfume Oils.  And if you aren’t sure about it, try it out in our large sample size before committing to a larger size!  With over 500 different scents to choose from (and new ones added regularily…) how can you go wrong?!

We even have a special listing wear you can try more than one sample at a time.  Check out our  Sample Specials.  Or if you are sure you’d like the larger size, save a little by purchasing multiples, see our Roll On Specials!

When I first started using makeup, I never gave germs a second thought, nor did I think I had to toss old makeup for any reason.  Unfortunately though, makeup doesn’t last forever!  Here are some approximate expiration times of makeup in general.

1.  Foundation - Has an approximate shelf life of 18-24 months.  If you purchased a foundation that is free of preservatives, the shelf life will be significantly less.  Be sure to check your packaging or with the manufacturer.

2.  Mascara - Will typically last about 2 months.  If your mascara, clumps, dries out or smells bad, do not use it… toss it out.

3.  Lip Pencils - About a year, dipping the tip in alcohol before and after each use will help kill any germs.  But even with the alcohol trick, still toss it after a year.

4.  Powders - If kept nice and dry, they can last a long time.  About two years as long as fingers or water has never been incorporated into the product.  That means applying the product right after the shower.  Always use clean brushes, Q-Tips or if you prefer finger application you tap out the product you need and don’t dip your finger right into the jar.  If you are a sponge user, sponges are known for breeding bacteria, always use a clean sponge.  If you powder has developed a smell, or changed colors, toss it!

5.  Eye Shadow and Blush (pressed) - About six months to maybe a year if stored properly and maintained, after that toss it.  And again, do not incorporate water directly into the product.  If you like to use eye shadows as eyeliners by adding a foiling serum or water, do that in a separate clean container or the back of your hand.  If the product doesn’t transfer color as well or develops a smell, toss it.

6.  Eye Pencils - Approximately 3 months.  Sharpen before using and dip in alcohol before and after each use to maximize shelf life.  If color no longer transfers easily, the color has changed or the product smells bad, it’s time to say goodbye.

7.  Brushes -  Clean your brushes frequently to increase their lifespan.  Clean with baby shampoo or your favorite brush cleaner.  Alcohol can dry out the bristles, so while some recommend this, I recommend limiting it since it can actually wear down your brushes sooner.  When the bristles on your brushes no longer want to hold pigment, bend, fall out, fan outwards, it might be time to find a new brush.

To remove any doubt about when you purchase a makeup product, write the date on the container with a permanent marker or put a strip of masking tape on the product and write a date on that.  You can write either the date you purchased it or write the expiration date, just be sure you remember which you write, by indicating that on the label as well!  A good example is writing “Exp: 8/30/10″, then you’ll have no doubt about when you should toss it.

We’ll have another handy article about cleaning your brushing soon!  Be sure to “follow us” (see left column) so you’ll know when that article comes out.  Keeping your brushes clean can even help those who suffer from acne!

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What’s hot this summer besides the temperature?  A shimmery, sparkly lid that’s what!  Try a gorgeous, sheer-shimmery shadow in beige, taupe or peach perfect for that perfect sun-kissed summer look.  Neutral tones are ideal and universally flattering regardless of age, skin tone or skin texture.    Summer is a time you want to be absolutely sure you aren’t over-doing your makeup, so just a hint of eye color, a touch of mascara and a dab of gloss is all you need to look fantastic.  Shimmery neutral colors are the way to go, and if you want a little extra ‘oomph’ pick colors that have a tiny bit of gold or silver sparkle to them, a taupe with a touch of gold… amazing!

Recommended Summer Color:  Amber Dust

Just a sweep of color over the lid going just a hair above the crease is perfect.  Simple yet elegant summer time beauty!  Sparkly eyes are sexy, and they are sure to draw attention.  Give a new sparkly shade like a pale brown or a pretty peach with little hints of gold a try this summer!

What is your favorite shadow color for summer?  Comment below to let us know!

. . .

*Have a picture of yourself wearing one (or more) of our colors?  We’d love to see it!*

That’s right, we love Twilight here at The StarShine Company, so who better than Kristen Stewart to write a “Get the Look!” article about?  Alright you might prefer to be reading about Robert Pattinson or Taylor Lautner, but we love Kristen too!  And she does wear her makeup brilliantly!  Even though the theaters will be dark on June 30th for Eclipse, you still might want to try this look yourself!  After all, you never know who may be lurking outside in the darkness after the movie lets out. 

Kristen is wearing a gorgeous, eye-catching, shimmery grayish purple color on her lids with brownish peach above the crease.  Which you can see a little better in our “zoomed” in picture (below).  I think this look works because as you can see her cheeks have a similar brownish peach dusted on, which ties the slightly unusual look together.

Want the look?  We’ve got just the stuff to get a look similar to Kristen’s.  You’ll want to start with a nice dark black liner (our “Reaper” works perfect for lining!) along both the top and bottom lash line, followed by “Dreary” across your lids and a thin smudge around the bottom of the eye as well.  Finish the look with a touch of “Sunset” just above the crease and a touch on the inside corner of the eye lid.

         
(Pictured Left to right Dreary and Sunset)

(Photograph from Glamour Magazine Online)