Tuesday Tip: Wear Sunscreen

Spring is here which means warmer temperatures and if you are like me you are getting out in the warm sunny weather as much as possible. Whether you are outdoors gardening, working out, driving with the windows down, or simply going about your everyday activities you NEED to wear sunscreen on your face! Sunscreen is a must YEAR round, but I realize that most people don't wear it all the time...so, now is the time to get in the habit. You can apply a moisturizer with sunscreen in the morning, a basic sunscreen before your moisturizer, or use a foundation that has sunscreen in it. Any of those options work. Make sure you are using something with SPF 15 or higher. Not only is skin cancer a risk when out in the sun, but also wrinkles...and hello, we do not want those on our faces before they have to be there! Another issue with too much sun--sunburns, which lead to red skin and peeling...red peeling skin and you wanting your makeup to look fabulous is not the best combo. Remember, if you are going to be by a pool, at the beach or sitting outside at an event all day you need to reapply...again and again. And, don't forget to put sunscreen on your neck...and the rest of your body for that matter. Remember, playing in the sun is fun, but too much sun can burn!

Tuesday Tip: Go Country

The Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday night was full of fabulous looks (along with some amazing singing of course)...the looks were SO fabulous that I think we should all go a little country.

How cute was Taylor Swift singing "Mean" I love the softer look of her makeup.

I LOVE Rhianna's makeup...I want to meet her makeup artist! She always has a fabulous glow and I loved her deep lip color and the red shadow on her eyes. It was so fun to see her perform with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles.

Martina's eye makeup was my obsession Sunday night, I LOVE her eyeliner, it looked like she used a liquid liner to get a cat eye look without being over the top, still very classic.

Carrie Underwood is always a favorite of mine, and while some of you are probably thinking I'm crazy for posting her with pink hair it was the whole punk/rocker look that I loved. From the hair and makeup to the dress and shoes, I couldn't get enough.

Tuesday Tip: Use Art Brushes

My favorite eyeliner brushes to use with gel, cake or liquid eyeliner are from Michael's, the craft store...crazy, right?! I buy packs of very thin brushes to use when applying eyeliner. The brushes that were sold for gel liner or cake liner at counters were too thick to me, but art brushes are sold in all sizes. While I'm not going to use art brushes for all of my brushes (and I don't recommend that you do either), there are times like with eyeliner, some eye shadows and even lip liner that they come in handy! Not only are they just what is needed sometimes, but they are also a lot cheaper than "makeup" brushes. Oh, and just in case you are wondering, I'm not the only makeup artist who does this....I learned this secret from makeup artist friends...I guess the secret is out now!

Tuesday Tip: Spring into Spring!

The temperatures were in the 80's today in Tulsa and for some reason I was still dressed for fall...I needed a quick way to brighten my look, so what did I go with ?! Blush of course, it's my life saver for everything (if you haven't noticed yet) and also a cute coral for my nails. I went with one of my favorite Essie colors, Cute as a Button...because it is as cute as a button, and that is just what I needed today!!



With these warmer temperatures it's important to integrate bright colors into not only your wardrobe, but also your look. Here are a few ways (other than colorful nails)to brighten your look:


Bright pink or coral lip gloss on top of your fall or winter red lipstick. When I worked at Armani my manager and I had a lip combo we loved...the number 21 shine lipstick with a shimmery pink gloss on top (number 7). For a similar result try Smashbox lip gloss in Boundlesss or Nonstop.


Brighten a smokey eye by using a pale pink as a base color instead of a taupe and/or add plum to your crease color. I love Make Up For Ever shadows, try #88 or #97 for a soft pink, for a plum try #121 or #142.


Last, if you don't wear blush start wearing it and if you already do put more on. My NEW favorite color is Blossom by Linda Mason Elements...this line was created by the fabulous artist Linda Mason and not only am I obsessed with the packaging (how could I not be?!) but I'm also obsessed with the color and the fact that it's pigmented. Look for a blog post about my visit to her studio/gallery in NYC.

Tuesday Tip: Touch Up

Whether you are out all day or all night, touching up is a must for you to look fabulous. Do you ever wonder how the makeup artists at makeup counters look amazing all day? They touch up, trust me I was once one of them and I did, so did all of my co-workers. While certain makeup products do last longer you will most likely need to touch up to add life to your face at the end of a long day or night, so here is what I suggest to keep on hand, do one or all of these things to brighten and liven up your face...

Lip color- This is an obvious one, right? Keep a lipstick or gloss on hand so that you can touch up after eating or drinking, or after it naturally fades away, because unless you are into lip stains (which I'm not after purchasing a muave that turned bright pink on my lips....for hours) lip color won't last forever.

Pressed powder (because loose powder is messy)- Another one you've heard to do probably, although I never keep one with me. If you get oily keep one on hand, otherwise you can skip out on carrying powder.

Concealer- Carry it with you, it's small and will add so much life to your face. At the end of a long day I add a little under my eyes and to the inner corners of my eyes. Also, if you get a little redness around your nose or on your chin it is an easy touch up.

An eye product- This is up to you, I'm a fan of touching up my mascara at the end of the day, however sometimes I ditch the mascara touch up and go for adding more eyeliner if I'm meeting up with people for the evening. Even adding an extra sweep of eye shadow can make a difference, so decide what is best for you.

Blush- I'm a blush girl (if you haven't realized yet) the quickest way to add a glow to your face is to add a little pink to your cheeks.

This list may have you thinking you are going to be hovering over a mirror or going to the ladies room frequently to touch up...I'm NOT telling you to do that. I'm saying add lip color after you eat, at the end of a work day if you are heading out take 3-5 minutes to add a little more to your makeup, or if you are out for the evening do one lip or blush touch up.

Tuesday Tip: Layer for a New Look

Do you want to change your lip color without purchasing a new product, or change the tone of your blush without owning three or four....then layer it up!

Layering lip colors is something I've done since probably middle school, mostly because I was always buying makeup and even if I didn't love the lipstick I ended up with I was determined to wear it, so I'd layer colors on top. If you want your red or pink lipstick to be a little deeper apply a bronze or golden gloss or lipstick on top of your lip color.

Blush is another fun thing to change up. As we move into warmer temperatures if you want your pink blush to have a more peach tone then sweep your bronzer on top of the pink. You will end up with a golden pink rather than just a sweet pink (which I love too).

So, get creative with the colors that are already in your drawer and experiment with colors that may not be your favorite alone, but paired with something else can be the perfect combination!

Tuesday Tip: Look Like a Star

My favorite part of awards shows, like the Oscars, is seeing the fashion and makeup on the red carpet. I pay more attention to this than the actual awards show--I don't know if that is something I should admit or not! This year's red carpet at the Academy Awards definitely did not disappoint, here are three of my favorite looks:



Gwyneth Paltrow's gorgeous glow





Anne Hathaway's classic matte red lips





Scarlett Johansson's smokey eyes




You can easily look like one of these celebrities...for Gwyneth's look go for a foundation with a dewy finish and extra shimmer, play up the bronze tones. For Anne's lips go for a matte true red lipstick. For Scarlett's eyes play up the plum and gold tones for a different take on the smokey eye.