Tuesday Tip: Line Your Lips

Using a lip liner will make your lipstick or gloss last longer. When choosing a lip liner get one that matches your natural lip color like MAC's Whirl or Subculture. By doing this you can use one lip liner with different lipstick colors. Also, using a color that matches your lips makes it easier to line a little outside of your lips to make them appear fuller.

When you line your lips, line and then fill them in with the lip liner. This will do two things: make your lip color stay in place longer, and keep you from having an outline of lip liner around your lips...blending is key!

Tuesday Tip: Make Your Eyeshadow Pop

The general rule with eyeshadows is that the more money you invest in them the more pigmented they will be, meaning they have more color. Lines like MAC, Stila, Make Up For Ever and Nars are known for their bold colors that have great textures. If you want to make an eyeshadow stand out like those that you bought for less money here are tricks to make the color pop. Try one or all of these to see which one works best for you. You can also use these tricks with your pigmented shadows for extra drama, and who doesn't love a little drama?!

- Use an eyeshadow base like MAC Bare Canvas(it comes in a squeeze tube)

- Use a cream eyeshadow underneath your powder eyeshadow like Revlon Illuminance Cream Shadow (use a neutral color so it doesn't conflict with your eyeshadow)

- Apply concealer on your eyelid before applying eyeshadow

By applying a cream base to your lid it allows the eyeshadow to stick on to something...try one of these tricks and see the difference!

Makeup Shopping

I met a friend for dinner tonight and we decided to stop by the mall since I needed more Bobbi Brown Gel Liner (in Espresso of course) and she needed more Lancome mascara. Well, two items quickly turned into multiple items. I left the mall with my gel liner, a new Nars blush because I love their colors, and Caudalie Beauty Elixir. Caudalie is a great skin care line, and the Beauty Elixir can be applied before or after makeup to add radiance to skin, I plan to keep it in my purse to spritz on when I need a pick me up. This is sold in the bins by the registers at Sephora, and at $16 it's worth a try. I asked for a sample of Philosophy's Hope in a Jar before I left because who hasn't heard great reviews about it for years, so I'm trying it out and if it's worth your time I will let you know. If you are out shopping this weekend think about trying out a new blush to add a pop of color, finding a new skin care product, or simply asking for a sample of something you have been interested in so you can find out if you actually like it.

Tuesday Tip: Use an Eye Makeup Remover

If you wear eye makeup, even if it isn't waterproof, you still need to use an eye makeup remover. It is best to use a cotton ball or square with the eye makeup remover rather than a tissue. There is nothing worse to me than seeing someone with day old black eyeliner and mascara under their eyes. Not to mention that the eye area is more sensitive than the rest of your face due to the skin being thinner. So, using an eye makeup remover ensures you will not have any remnants of yesterday's makeup and it allows you to remove makeup easily without extra wear and tear on your eye area. Practically every makeup line has an eye makeup remover, and I have tried A LOT of them. When I was first gathering products for my makeup kit I spent probably an hour at Sephora with my hands covered in waterproof mascaras and liners to test multiple eye makeup removers. The $20+ eye makeup remover I found that day does not compare to my favorite for the past few years, Neutrogena's Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover.

If you aren't a fan of liquid eye makeup removers, or need a product that is easy to travel with try Almay's Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover Pads.


You can find both of these products at your local drug store or one of my favorite stores, Ulta.

Favorite Foundations

I think that one of the most frequent questions I'm asked is, "what kind of foundation do you use?" So, here are the foundations I use on myself and my clients. They make your skin look flawless and stay put...because after all, who has time for constant touch ups?

Make Up For Ever Face and Body Liquid Foundation



Make Up For Ever is sold at Sephora and is a fabulous line out of Paris. This is a professional line with quite the following, and the reason is the products really do what they say they will. This is a light to medium coverage foundation that I apply with a wedge sponge. I use this on all my brides because it is waterproof, so I've seen it last through tears, heat, and lots of humidity. The two colors I use the most are #20 and #34.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

Having worked for Giorgio Armani Cosmetics I've seen the results of this foundation on many different skin types. The colors in this specific foundation have a beige undertone which allows them to blend well on skin tones. The foundation creates flawless looking skin because of its "microfil technology." It gives light to medium coverage. The trick to using foundation is to purchase the Giorgio Armani blender brush, it is the only foundation brush that will truly blend in foundation so that it appears airbrushed. My only complaint with this foundation is that it tends to shift on me, mostly in heat, so I only wear this during the winter when my skin needs more of a luminous glow.

Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation SPF 20

I feel like this foundation is a step up from the Luminous Silk Foundation. It has UV and SPF protection. It also stays in place due to the matte finish it creates. I love the coverage and staying power, the colors weren't my favorite at first but have grown on me. This foundation gives medium coverage and still makes skin look flawless when applied with the blender brush. Its a foundation I can wear all day during all seasons.



Remember, before you invest in a foundation, no matter what brand, try it out. Have a makeup artist at the store match your color and wear it all day and in different light to be sure you like it. You will see how well it lasts on your skin and if you like the color even when you are in your car in the sun rather than under lights at a makeup counter. Happy foundation shopping, if you try one of these out let me know what you think!

Tuesday Tip: Find a Terrific Top Coat

I love painting my nails and use all different brands of nail polish because I have found that even the cheap nail polishes stay in place with the right top coat. So, while I'm a fan of OPI and Essie I'm also a fan of NYC and Wet N Wild. My favorite top coat is Sally Hansen Insta-Dri-Anti-Chip Top Coat. It actually makes my nail polish last, and it dries in 30 seconds...even better!

You can find it in your local Ulta, Walmart, or Target, or here on Amazon.

Who Needs Sleep When There's Makeup?

Apparently sleep is overrated, but looking great never is...so when I don't sleep through the night, I have a few tricks that help save my tired looking face in the morning and they can help you too. First, wash your face with cold water to help swollen looking eyes. Next, moisturize and apply makeup like normal, but when it comes to your eyes do one of two things: use a white or blue eyeliner pencil on your inner rim (this is in addition to your regular eyeliner and mascara). If you use white eyeliner on your inner rim it will brighten your eyes by making the whites of your eyes look bigger- this is also a trick to help smaller eyes look bigger. If you have a lot of redness use the blue eyeliner on your inner rim because it will counteract the red. These little changes in eyeliner make a difference. This trick has worked a handful of times on myself and also models and brides who need a little extra help from missing their beauty sleep the night before a photoshoot or big event.

Try Prestige's Classic Khol Eyeliner in E-30 White


Or Prestige's Classic Khol Eyeliner in E-20 Midnight



Prestige Cosmetics can be purchased at Ulta Beauty

Tuesday Tip: Curl Your Lashes

If you take time to put on mascara then you should take time to curl your eyelashes. I find that it makes such a difference, especially if you are not happy with your lash length, volume, or eye shape. Curling your lashes helps lift your eyes, and helps give the illusion of more lashes because it makes the lashes not normally noticed more visible.

When to curl lashes: After you have done your shadow and eye liner, but before you apply mascara.

How to curl: Use the eyelash curler by clamping down on your lashes once...don't pump the eyelash curler, there is no need. By clamping once and holding it down a few seconds you will see results, if you want a more dramatic curl clamp down one more time and hold. Repeat this for the other side.

What eyelash curler to use: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler



This is a $19 product, but it is well worth it. Every makeup artist I know says it is their favorite, and anyone I've met who owns it or has just bought one LOVES it. When I use it on myself with enough mascara I've had people ask me if my lashes are fake. I have wasted time and money on eyelash curlers that didn't do much, so once I found this product I was hooked. The shape of the curler allows you to get close to your eye, the silicone pad in it and the design apply enough pressure so that a curl is created that will hold. Shu Uemura is known for their eyelash curler, and while they have a number of quality products this is what people return to them for the most. You can find it at Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom or on Amazon.