Dear Kristen,

We are in the middle of the dog days of summer and it is such a pain to put on any makeup because it just melts off! I know that having a bare face is great at the beach, but it is not so pleasant at a major business presentation. I would like to look “sun-kissed” and not overly done.

I have been using the bronzer you suggested in April, but it looks odd because there is obviously make up on my cheeks and temples but nowhere else.

So, do you have any suggestions on how to achieve a more natural, bronzed look?

Dear Kristen,

I recently wore pink and purple eye shadow for wedding and it looked amazing! My eyes sparkled with enough hue to brighten up my face but not enough to bring out the red in my tired eyes and the color matched flawlessly with my outfit –it was magical.

I have two memories from that event. First, I felt fantastic because my makeup was a dressed up version of myself.

Second, my face was puffy, itchy and bright red for a week after the wedding because my skin clearly did not like the makeup that the artist used.

I took your suggestion and looked up the toxicity of the ingredients – not a pretty realization.

I look at pictures from that day and want to recreate that look, yet I am stuck in a sea of earth tone cosmetics at home.

Does a wearing natural makeup mean that I have to keep to a natural palette or are there ways of adding a pop of color to dress up my look?

Dear Kristen,

Brrr- it is STILL cold outside and I am officially snowed in! While the white wonderland is beautiful to look at, the weather is making my skin look lack luster. So, I have been trying to emulate that whole illumination look from the runway – hoping to brighten skin to achieve a radiant glow. I recently dumped a bunch of illuminating powder on my face (admittedly from the drug store). At first, I looked like a ghost until my oily skin came out to play and then I looked like I had clouds painted on my face.  Not a pretty sight!

Is there a real person way to achieve the luminous look without being chalky 15 minutes later?

Dear Kristen,

As the saying goes, always the bridesmaid, never the bride. I am a part of three weddings this year and attending two others. Plus I have numerous other affairs- all of which require the perfect dress, hair and of course makeup.

I know the bride is supposed to get the special treatment; a hairdresser and makeup artist ensuring she looks her best.  I know it sounds narcissistic, but I'm always secretly thinking, what about me? Of course I don’t want to upstage the bride, but is it so wrong to want to look good next to her?

I want to know what are the best tips to make your look special but not over the top for a wedding?