The Memory Blocks

The onset of winter also signals the coming of dry, flaky skin. The best moisturizers do little to prevent your face from becoming blotchy and uneven. This results in a challenging time when applying foundation. Fortunately, makeup primers are ready and available in the market to remedy this kind of skin condition. One of these is a product from one of the leading makeup companies in the world, the MAC Prep Prime Skin Base.

Aside from assuring smooth application of your foundation and makeup, MAC Prep Prime Skin Base also works to minimize skin oiliness and redness. Here’s how to apply it properly to achieve a smooth and even texture for makeup application.

First, make sure your face is clean. Smooth in a face wash on your skin, gently lathering up with upward strokes. Use slightly warm water for rinsing. Pay special attention to areas susceptible to oil buildup, such as the nose area, your cheeks, and the forehead. Wash your neck as well, since you’ll be applying the skin base there too. With a soft clean cloth or a tissue, pat your skin dry. Don’t rub.

While you may be using a primer that already helps even out your skin texture, it’s still important to moisturize your skin. Moisturizing is a good habit to learn so that your skin stays moist and hydrated. With the amount of pollutants and chemicals we are exposed to these days, regular moisturizing keeps your skin healthy. Use a moisturizer with a water base and apply this to your face and neck area. Again, use upward movements to work the moisturizer into your skin. Blend it in well, then pat off the excess with a tissue.

Before applying, shake the bottle of MAC primer to incorporate all the elements that may have settled during storage. Take a bit of the product with your fingertips and dot it on your face. You won’t need a lot of primer; a little is all you need to cover your entire face and neck with a thin layer. The primer feels very silky to touch. Start with the center area of your face and move outwards to your hairline, jaw and neck. Again, use upward strokes.

Before applying makeup, let MAC Prep Prime Skin Base set on your skin. After approximately five minutes, you will see that your skin texture is smooth and supple. When you apply your foundation, notice how easily it glides over the surface. Not only will your makeup be easy to apply, it will be easy to blend it as well. The primer also makes your makeup last longer on your skin, eliminating the need for frequent touchups.

For additional protection against shine from oil buildup, always pack some face blotter sheets that are specifically designed to absorb excess oil. If you need to touchup, run a blotter sheet gently over your face before applying powder to prevent blocking your pores.

MAC Prep Prime Skin Base is an extra step worth taking in your makeup regimen. Makeup application puts additional stress on your skin, and prepping with a primer beforehand greatly reduces damage to your face. This MAC product can also be worn without makeup, as the way it evens out your skin tone gives you a polished, clean look.

Gold jewelry is now readily available. Once only found in jewelry shops, god can now be purchased at a local mall, a pawnshop and even online. Gold vermeil is a common offering in all of these shopping places, and it is important that you know the facts before plunking down a sizeable amount of your money for any piece.

Gold vermeil is the name to call jewelry that is pure sterling silver plated in gold. The jewelry base is pure sterling silver, while the gold layer is at least 2 ½ microns thick. The requirement for the gold layer is at least 10 karats, with 14, 18, 24 and 32 karat varieties in varying colors of yellow gold, white gold, pink gold or even a tricolor combination also commonly used.

Achieved through a process called fire gilding, its production dates back to 1750 in France. Fire gilding is the exposure of the silver to extreme heat while applying gold and mercury, eventually causing the gold to bond with the silver. The use of mercury in the production of vermeil is now illegal due to the harmful properties of mercury. In these modern times, electroplating is the method of choice which results in the same product with decidedly safer methods.

The use of sterling silver as a base makes gold vermeil the more affordable choice for jewelry. Its appearance is almost like the pure gold varieties. It also comes in beautiful designs and its craftsmanship is also top-quality. Those who have allergies to nickel need not worry, as real gold vermeil cannot contain any other nickel aside from sterling silver and gold.

Proper care of your gold vermeil jewelry will have it lasting you for many, many years. Always take care to remove it before any activity where it might come in contact with water, such as a bath, swimming, washing dishes, or taking a shower. Under no circumstances should you have your vermeil jewelry polished in a jewelry shop as the polishing can weaken the gold layer and cause it to be removed. Instead, polish it yourself using a soft cloth, rubbing gently to remove any spots from the piece. If you need to add a little shine, it’s alright to use a bit of glass cleaner on the cleaning cloth.

Gold vermeil has risen in popularity and a wide array of new and stylish designs are now available at a more affordable price. Now even you can have the look of quality jewelry without breaking the bank.