Long, talon-like nails are no longer “in” and for most of us, that’s a good thing. Maintaining ultra-long nails is difficult enough, but even simple tasks can become nearly impossible.

Medium length nails that are elegant and feminine without being clumsy to work with are the look you want. Taking the place of the long nailed fashion trend is “nail art”.

A lot of nail art looks are difficult to achieve on your own but there are products that can help you. Nail polish pens let you “paint” just as you would with a paintbrush or marker. Airbrush kits with stencil or stencil wheels can help you create professional-looking results. Add some glitter or small faux gems for a little pizzaz. If you are adventurous and artistically inclined, you might try some free-hand painting on your nails. You can create some interesting designs with a couple of good paintbrushes and a toothpick. Consider using acrylic paints as well as traditional polishes.

Airbrush kits can be rather pricey, so if I were going to try doing it myself I might start with this kit at $29.95. If I showed any proficiency, then I might consider moving up to a more professional model airbrush that can start at $89.95. Think about it, if you become very proficient, you could defray the cost of your kit by doing manicures for others.

If you are using the brush that came with your blush, chances are you are using a brush that is too small, too stiff and unsuited to the task.

Blush is not meant to be a stripe of bright color on the sides of your face. Streaks of red, pink or brown that appear “painted on” end up looking clownish.

Choose a large, soft, fluffy brush to apply your cheek color. Don’t overload the brush. Sweep the brush across the blush product to load the bristles with color, then tap it to shake off any excess.

Start below the cheekbone ridge and brush lightly up to the “apples” of your cheeks. The color should give you a natural glow to your cheeks and there should be no discernible edges.

A great brush is the key to proper application of blush. Bare Escentuals Tapered Blush Brush is exactly the type of brush we recommend. It’s available at Amazon for $15.00 but if you shop local stores and beauty outlets, you might some great deals on brushes and brush sets. It’s not the name that makes you beautiful, it’s having the right tools, the right methods and the right products for you.

If you want to mask a double chin, start by applying a darker color under the jaw line. Continue it all the way to the back of the neck to avoid striping. A liquid may be too difficult to blend; using a light bronzing powder or a neutral color blush applied with a good brush is easiest. Apply a highlighter above the jaw line to catch light, while the deeper color beneath enhances the shadow effect.

The brush you use is of equal importance to avoid the obvious make-up lines and demarcations. Choose a large, soft brush for application under the jawline, a smaller one is fine for highlighting.