Beauty Fix: The one product you need for a post-baby date night, kissable lip glosses and perfumes, and other makeup tricks for sexy times
There’s no denying that we tend to prim and preen even more than usual when we’re vying to impress the opposite sex. And while confidence is always the best way to look attractive, it certainly helps to have a few other beauty tricks up your sleeve when it comes to feeling extra special for your special someone. This week, Beauty Fix has your best bet for a post-baby date night, a lip gloss that encourages kissing, and other tricks to keep the romance alive.
Read on for all the answers! »
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My guy told me recently that when we’re kissing, he can taste perfume on my neck. What now?
Well, time for another lesson from the French: avoid your perfume on your skin! Way back when the grande dames in France were writing the manual on how to seduce men, it was popular to wear leather gloves soaked in perfume. Not only is that an incredibly chic thing to do, it also avoids the issue of perspiration altering a scent. But, since exposing the nape of your neck is a seductive action unto itself, I recommend a different French trick: wear a pretty fragrance in your hair. Try taking a “less is more” approach by sticking to a single-note fragrance, as opposed to a complex bouquet formula—those same French ladies demanded simple incense of vanilla, rose or lotus flower for their ability to seduce on a psychological level. Try an essential oil, like Primavera Rose Oil Turkish 10% ($30, saffronrouge.com), which has a bed of roses scent that’s said to be quite the aphrodisiac. Rub a little into the ends of your hair—its nourishing properties may even help repair split ends!—and as an added bonus, if your guy loves the scent it can double as a massage oil.
I’ve read that men actually find lipstick unnatural and, therefore, unattractive. What gives?
Before delving into this explanation I want to make it perfectly clear that you should wear whatever lipstick you want to—whether its violet or fuchsia—if you love the way it looks. However, if you are strategically trying to score a smooch, get your game face ready with a less pigmented lipstick. (Maybe the person you’re going to kiss doesn’t find the shade as flattering on himself?) In all seriousness, he probably doesn’t want to wear your lipstick post-kiss and I’m sure you’d rather not mess up the application anyways. So, for a night of kissing, go for a balm like Lavanila Vanilla Pure Lip Shine ($15, lilou-organics.com) instead. It’s one of the scents that the aforementioned French women favoured and it’s natural, made from fatty oils—like jojoba, apricot and sunflower—to make your lips soft and pillowy. This particular gloss is formulated without any chemicals or additives so you’ll be dishing out the opposite of a “kiss of death” too—how very thoughtful!
Do you think my preference to not wear makeup hinders my chances of attracting a mate?
I think I’ve heard it from the mouths of a million babes (boys) myself that natural beauty is preferable to a full face of makeup. However, there is some merit to the theory that certain colours can influence a guy’s innate attraction to you, based on what those colours represent. Rosy cheeks, for example, are a sign of good health. That natural flush appears at particular times when your sexual hormones are especially active and men, naturally, are psychologically attracted to that. I’d say that’s a pretty valid purpose for wearing blush, wouldn’t you? (One look at Beyonce’s flushed skin when she’s posing for Tumblr pictures with Jay Z and you’ll see what I mean!) You don’t have to wear much makeup, but do consider wearing a bit of blush to round out your complexion. YSL Creme de Blush ($38, sephora.com) in “Velvety Peach” is especially perfect because it doesn’t create a colour that’s obviously faux—its peachiness blends in better than pink and creates the effect of an inner glow.
I have 30 minutes before a date and only have time for one: manicure or pedicure?
While manicured hands will up your ante, there’s something to be said about pedicured feet. How familiar are you with foot fetishes? Even if they’ve never made sense to you, it’s worth acknowledging that many men’s hearts crumble at the sight of a lady’s feet. You don’t need to try to understand a foot fetish if it isn’t a natural inclination for you, but do soften your soles regularly and before a date, paint your nails a crimson colour–like “Come to Bed Red” by Butter London ($17, ebeauty.ca). With such a seductive shade on your toes, who knows where the night will take you!
This weekend will be the first time my husband and I will have the house to ourselves since the baby was born. (Thank goodness for grandparents!) I don’t have much free time to prep but I want to do something to look/feel more attractive. Help!
I love where you’re going with this because, if you ask me, it is not the body that makes a woman attractive, but what she expresses with it. You and your husband are probably very excited to live life the way it was before baby—even if it’s only for a weekend and your time is spent snuggling in front of the TV. Part of the reason I’ve always loved short hair on a woman is because it exposes my favourite areas: the neckline, collarbone and décolletage. On every woman, I find these to be areas of elegance because they’re sensitive to affection and spacious for decorating with necklaces and pretty earrings. My advice for your weekend would be to pay heed to feeling sexy in your own skin. Murad Rejuvenating Lift For Neck and Décolleté cream ($55, sephora.com) is fortified with Java plum, mango and banana pulp to smooth and soften your chest and neck, and anise which, by the way, subconsciously reminds men of the scent of a woman. Sounds like a nice night in, don’t you think?
, which has a bed of roses scent that’s said to be quite the aphrodisiac. Rub a little into the ends of your hair—its nourishing properties may even help repair split ends!—and as an added bonus, if your guy loves the scent it can double as a massage oil.
I've read that men actually find lipstick unnatural and, therefore, unattractive. What gives?
Before delving into this explanation I want to make it perfectly clear that you should wear whatever lipstick you want to—whether its violet or fuchsia—if you love the way it looks. However, if you are strategically trying to score a smooch, get your game face ready with a less pigmented lipstick. (Maybe the person you're going to kiss doesn't find the shade as flattering on himself?) In all seriousness, he probably doesn’t want to wear your lipstick post-kiss and I'm sure you'd rather not mess up the application anyways. So, for a night of kissing, go for a balm like Lavanila Vanilla Pure Lip Shine ($15, lilou-organics.com) instead. It's one of the scents that the aforementioned French women favoured and it's natural, made from fatty oils—like jojoba, apricot and sunflower—to make your lips soft and pillowy. This particular gloss is formulated without any chemicals or additives so you'll be dishing out the opposite of a “kiss of death” too—how very thoughtful!
Do you think my preference to not wear makeup hinders my chances of attracting a mate?
I think I've heard it from the mouths of a million babes (boys) myself that natural beauty is preferable to a full face of makeup. However, there is some merit to the theory that certain colours can influence a guy's innate attraction to you, based on what those colours represent. Rosy cheeks, for example, are a sign of good health. That natural flush appears at particular times when your sexual hormones are especially active and men, naturally, are psychologically attracted to that. I'd say that's a pretty valid purpose for wearing blush, wouldn't you? (One look at Beyonce’s flushed skin when she’s posing for Tumblr pictures with Jay Z and you’ll see what I mean!) You don't have to wear much makeup, but do consider wearing a bit of blush to round out your complexion. YSL Creme de Blush ($38, sephora.com) in “Velvety Peach” is especially perfect because it doesn't create a colour that's obviously faux—its peachiness blends in better than pink and creates the effect of an inner glow.
I have 30 minutes before a date and only have time for one: manicure or pedicure?
While manicured hands will up your ante, there’s something to be said about pedicured feet. How familiar are you with foot fetishes? Even if they've never made sense to you, it's worth acknowledging that many men's hearts crumble at the sight of a lady's feet. You don't need to try to understand a foot fetish if it isn't a natural inclination for you, but do soften your soles regularly and before a date, paint your nails a crimson colour--like "Come to Bed Red" by Butter London ($17, ebeauty.ca). With such a seductive shade on your toes, who knows where the night will take you!
This weekend will be the first time my husband and I will have the house to ourselves since the baby was born. (Thank goodness for grandparents!) I don’t have much free time to prep but I want to do something to look/feel more attractive. Help!
I love where you’re going with this because, if you ask me, it is not the body that makes a woman attractive, but what she expresses with it. You and your husband are probably very excited to live life the way it was before baby—even if it’s only for a weekend and your time is spent snuggling in front of the TV. Part of the reason I’ve always loved short hair on a woman is because it exposes my favourite areas: the neckline, collarbone and décolletage. On every woman, I find these to be areas of elegance because they’re sensitive to affection and spacious for decorating with necklaces and pretty earrings. My advice for your weekend would be to pay heed to feeling sexy in your own skin. Murad Rejuvenating Lift For Neck and Décolleté cream ($55, sephora.com) is fortified with Java plum, mango and banana pulp to smooth and soften your chest and neck, and anise which, by the way, subconsciously reminds men of the scent of a woman. Sounds like a nice night in, don’t you think?
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