Blog Posts by CharleenBellezaBlog

Here's the best of the best- my favorite beauty picks of 2012!

By Charleen Gonzalez for Shine Latina

Best beauty products of 2012A slew of new and revolutionary beauty products arrived to the makeup world this year, but of all the great gadgets, colors and innovations available, I'd like to focus on the five products that I couldn't live without in 2012. Among my new favorites, my must-have tool for getting rid of all the impurities and my personal solution to acne. Also, Urban Decay had a huge year in 2012, with the release of their Naked Skin Foundation, Vice Palette and now the new Naked Basics Palette- some of my new beauty BFF's. Also featured in my top five is a makeup sponge that applies any foundation flawlessly, while still being hygienic. Rounding out the top five are my favorite glosses of the year made by the Australian brand BECCA. Don't miss it!

Check out this video blog for a sexy New Year's makeup tutorial

Must-have face and body cleansing tool
I've been using the Clarisonic Plus Sonic

Make a resolution for looking beautiful at your New Year's party with this sparkling and smoky makeup look.

Toasting to a beautiful New YearBy Charleen Gonzalez for Shine Latina

A dashing New Year's Eve party provides the perfect excuse to break out your smoky shadows and shimmer. I personally will be rocking a smoked-out, sexy look with flirty false lashes and a subtle nude lip. You could amp it up even more with a bright red lip for your next New Year's fiesta. Make it a resolution to follow along in the video below, and start 2013 with a bold look!

Start with a good base

Begin by applying a foundation with no SPF. Since it's likely you'll be taking pictures, and SPF tends to reflect light making you look pasty, opt for a base that omits this protective ingredient. I applied Laura Mercier's Oil Free Supreme Foundation with a Sigma F88 Flat Angled Kabuki. If you have dark under eye circles, be sure to also apply some concealer. I've been loving Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage because it has two different

Learn how to give your manicure a festive touch with snowflakes and snowmen in this nail art video tutorial.

By Charleen Gonzalez for Shine Latina
Making a snowman design I love doing nail art during the holidays, because it's an easy way to get yourself ready for the season. Doing nail art doesn't have to be difficult as long as you have the right tools and patience! I decided to do a little muñeco de nieve (snowman) and some copitos de nieve (snowflakes) to give my manicure a really festive touch. These designs are lighthearted, fun, and are sure to get you noticed. So go ahead and "deck your nails"!

The nail polishes I used are from Nails Inc. and are sold at Sephora.

Creating the snowman
Step 1
Apply a base coat to protect your natural nail; I use Nails Inc. Caviar Base Coat. Then, paint your nails blue (or any other color besides white). I particularly like Nails Inc. in Baker Street. Make sure the color is opaque and evenly painted.

Step 2
Paint the tip of your nail with a white nail polish like

Watch how to get Salma Hayek's simple, yet beautiful red carpet look!

By Charleen Gonzalez for Shine Latina

Salma Hayek Salma Hayek recently strutted her stuff down the red carpet for the British Fashion Awards, where she played up her natural curves in a fringed Stella McCartney gown and wowed with her effortless makeup. Hayek opted to go very subtle on the eyes and cheeks, while sporting a bright, coral-pink lip. A great pop of color to her black dress; it's the perfect look for holiday daytime fiestas or when you want a clean, yet sophisticated style. Besides, this look is really easy to replicate: just grab your bight pink lipstick, some neutral shadows, and you're ready!

Flawless base

Start off by applying a face primer; I used bareMinerals Prime Time™ Foundation Primer. Then, apply a matte foundation like bareMinerals SPF 15 Matte Foundation. It looks incredibly natural and leaves the skin looking flawless. Use a dense powder brush to buff in the powder like bareMinerals Precision Face

The ultimate holiday shopping guide for makeup lovers.
Holiday Beauty Gift Guide
By Charleen Gonzalez for Shine Latina

Makeup companies usually release a slew of new products and gift sets during the holiday season. It can be overwhelming to decide what to invest in, so I investigated different beauty items and have prepared some of the best worth checking out. There are a few fun sets in the mix, as well as a few staples I think every woman should have.

Makeup gift sets in beautiful colors
Tarte came out with so many fun holiday gift sets this year that it was hard to narrow it down to just a few. By far my favorite has to be their Carried Away Collector's Set, which includes 24 eyeshadows, 8 maracuja lip glosses, a blush, their famous Light's, Camera, Lashes! mascara, a full sized face brush, a finishing powder, as well as a beautiful travel bag to fit it all in. The eyeshadows are housed in a compartment behind a large mirror in the included makeup bag. I just love how this set has practically all the

Red lips are definitely in for the holiday season. Learn how to pick the right shade for your skin tone, and get the look in my video tutorial.

By Charleen Gonzalez for Shine Latina Jessica Alba

Red lips are a holiday staple. I personally love wearing red lips all the time, and a good, basic red lipstick should be in every woman's makeup collection. Even though I adore red lipstick, it can be a pain to apply if you don't do it correctly. If you take the time, and follow my five steps to perfecting a the look, you'll be able to have a flattering, lasting lip color that everyone will love!

Red-orange lipstick for Latinas
If you have an olive skin tone, then you have the luxury of being able to pull off any red color. It is true, however, that red-orange lipsticks look the best on olive complexions and really stand out against yellow undertones. I have a few favorites I like to use; I love By Terry's Rouge Terrybly in 21 VD which is the perfect shade of red-orange and Bite Beauty's Matte High

Stand out at your next holiday party with this glamorous and sparkling makeup look!

By Charleen Gonzalez for Shine Latina Penelope Cruz

I love using gold eyeshadow and glitter during the holiday times for that little extra something that helps you stand out. For this look, I decided to keep the shimmer on the inner corners of the eyes, and add gray and black to the outer corners for a smoked-out effect. I think red lips are a classic, and they go really well with this look. During the holidays you can get away with doing bolder shades and strong colors, so break out your red lipstick and smoky shadows for your next holiday fiesta!

How to create a festive and glamorous makeup look
In order to achieve this look, I used brushes from Stila's Holiday 2012 Brush Set and Urban Decay's Vice Palette for eyeshadows. For the rest, here's what you'll need:

A flawless base
Apply your favorite foundation. I used Jouer Matte Moisture Tint for a light coverage and a matte finish. I also used

Clip-less curling irons are the latest innovation in hair technology. Learn how to get luxurious curls How to create beautiful curlswith this hair tutorial!

By Charleen Gonzalez for Shine Latina

Traditional curling irons with clips can leave ugly kinks in your hair. Well, it's time to throw away your old iron, and try the new clip-less version that curls your hair in seconds and leaves it looking sultry. After trying Sultra's The Bombshell Cone Rod Curling Iron, I'm never going back to a clip-style curling wand. With this new product, you can create many different looks- from tight curls to loose waves. The nicest thing about The Bombshell is that it has little grips on the barrel which grab your hair making it easier to curl. The bonus? A special glove to avoid any burns while curling your locks.

How to curl your hair with a clip-less iron

Step 1:
Divide your hair into at least three sections- top, middle and bottom layer, and clip in place. Depending on the thickness of your hair, you might need to divide it