Tuesday Tip: Nails

I'm all about painting my nails fun colors during the summer. Usually I sport my OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or anything that resembles it, but during the summer I branch out. Here are some fun finds for nails:

Crackle Nail Polish by OPI:



Essie's summer collection including bright oranges, pinks and reds...all with fun names like the one below, Braziliant:



Also, I'm loving all the different takes on the basic french manicure...use colors other than just neutral and white. Use bright colors, or have black on your tips to look trendy rather than white.

It's the summer, so treat yourself to a mani or pedi and try something new!

Tuesday Tip: Make Gel Liner Easy to Apply

I went to use my Bobbi Brown gel liner (in espresso) this morning and it was looking a little pathetic. There are just a few clumps of gel liner left in the jar, but I am bound and determined to use it all and not let any go to waste. Well, as I began to apply it I couldn't even get the product on my brush....major problem...so, it was time to figure something out to make it work, eyeliner to me is a must. What I discovered is a little trick everyone can use to make their gel liner apply smooth and perfect.

First, I cleaned my brush, you can't apply makeup with brushes that have makeup on them or are dirty. I put Neutrogena eye makeup remover on a kleenex and rubbed the brush in swirl motions on the kleenex to remove the product, you wouldn't believe the amount of gel liner that was on the brush (yuck!). Next I used my perfectly clean brush to apply the liner, I realized that by having a little bit of eye makeup remover on the brush it helped break down the gel liner that has dried out some with time. My liner went on in a perfect line thanks to my brush being clean so there were no clumps of product on it and it went on easily since the eye makeup remover made it more of a liquid consistency.

Try this trick out if you have gel liner that is drying out or is a dry consistency. I know that Bobbi Brown and Maybelline's gel liner is great but a drier consistency than MAC's liner.

Tuesday Tip: Traveling

Packing for trips and traveling can be such a hassel. Especiallly when it comes to flying and making sure your items are 3 ounces or less and fit into a quart size bag, and then there's the fact that your items in your checked bag end up opening or exploding sometimes, so they all have to be in ziploc bags. I feel like a bag lady by the time I pack all of my items for a trip. Here are a few things I do to keep my cosmetic items to a minimum so that I can fit everything I need in my carry on and suitcase that I need, but not be weighted down by bottles and jars...

Try out sample size products or items you get from a gift (at a cosmetics line) on your trip. I have tons of sample size face creams, eye creams, eye makeup removers, etc...before I go on a trip I get out my sample size products and see which will work for me...sometimes this leads to me discovering a new great product!

Buy travel size products. So many people carry around full size products because they think that travel size products by that brand are not made....most lines sell items in travel size. Walmart and Target have lots of options, and so do Ulta and Sephora...so you are bound to find a brand that suits your beauty needs.

Buy or reuse small jars and bottles...I am all about refilling travel size shampoo bottles with more shampoo. I'm sure many of you already do this. Another thing I do is I reuse sample size pots and jars for my moisturizers, face creams, face wash, etc. This way instead of bringing my huge Neutrogena face wash I bring a less than 1 once jar with enough for my weekend trip. If you want to purchase travel size bottles Ulta has a set of 4 that are bright colors and fit into the requirements for air travel. Also, Sally Beauty Supply is full of bottles and jars that can be used for travel.

Make it work...before I travel I think through what I REALLY need...I'm a makeup artist, so I tend to think I need everything, but I've come to terms and I don't need all of my makeup on a trip. Think through your makeup, bring what you wear everyday and then one extra eyeshadow for night time, or a different lipstick. You don't need a multitude of makeup products. Also, think about the skin care products you are bringing. In my everyday life I use a daytime moisturizer, night cream and eye cream. When I go on trips I usually just bring my daytime moisturizer and eye cream...I ditch the night cream for a few days. Think about what you can leave behind for a few days so that you have less to pack.

Tuesday Tip: Love Liquid Eyeliner

There is something I just love about liquid eyeliner....it has such a clean and glamourous look to it. It is not the thing to wear if you plan to shed a tear (does anyone remember Lauren Conrad's tear shedding moment on The Hills with liquid eyeliner running down her cheek?). Well, here are a two of my favorite brands of liquid eyeliners for those moments you want to look fabulous and you know that you don't need a waterproof product.

Prestige This is a good basic liquid eyeliner that you can't go wrong with.

e.l.f. This only costs a dollar...what can be better than that?!

Remember, you only need to (and should in my opinion) line your top lashline with liquid liner, not your lower. Also, it comes in different shades, so experiment...if you feel like black is too harsh try a midnight blue or a plum!

Tuesday Tip: Be a Beach Beauty

I'm heading to the beach, which is my favorite place, this month and I cannot wait! Here are some things to remember when doing makeup for a day at the beach...

First, you are at the beach, so don't get too made up! Just put on a little to give yourself a glow. Start with sunscreen, and remember you need to reapply this! You do not want to burn or get wrinkles before you must. When it comes to makeup skip the foundation unless it's waterproof and you feel it is neccessary. Apply concealer under your eyes to cover dark circles and to any trouble spots. Powder and add a little blush or bronzer. Personally, I like to skip any major eye makeup and only put on a little bit of waterproof mascara to make my eyes stand out a little. Apply a sheer colored gloss or tinted chapstick and you are good to go! You can do as little of this or as much as you wish, but as I said at first, don't get carried away with makeup at the beach.....you want to look like a natural beach beauty!

Tuesday Tip: Change Your Foundation Color

It's almost summertime and I have already switched to my darker foundation for the summer....not because I'm tanned, but because I feel like my skin needs more of a glow. I am of course bronzing my neck and chest to blend this new slightly darker shade. I think that changing your foundation color twice a year is a must. In the winter you don't need to have a darker foundation, you need to match your skin. I embrace my "Snow White Complex" (as my manager at Armani called it) during the winter months. I play up the lighter skin, dark lips and dark hair. During the summer though I'm ready to look bronzed and dewey with peach toned cheeks and glossy lips. So, when you go foundation shopping in May or June go just barely darker than your normal shade so that your face will match your bronzed skin you'll have after being out in the sun. A couple of ways to change up your foundation color without buying a new foundation shade is to mix in a liquid bronzer with your foundation, or use a powder bronzer on top to add a glow.

Tuesday Tip: Lovely Lips

Lip color is such a fun and easy thing to change up depending on the day and your mood. I find when I do makeup that a lot of people don't wear lipstick and stick to a neutral gloss or chapstick...there is no need to be afraid of lipstick or adding color to your lips! Here are a few things to know about when it comes to making your lips look lovely...

If you have small lips use a neutral or lighter color and gloss, if you do a dark color your lips will appear smaller. Don't feel like you can never wear a dark color, now you just know the effect it will have on your lips.

Lipsticks come in many different textures....a lot of people steer clear of lipstick because they assume it is heavy and something people wore twenty years ago. You can find sheer lipsticks, shine, shimmer, or matte...my point, there is one out there for you!

If you want to stick with gloss at least pick one with some color to change things up.

To make your lip color, whether lipstick or gloss last longer use a lip liner first, line and fill in your lips. Choose a neutral lip liner that will match your lips so you can use it with all lipsticks you use.

My favorite lines to purchase lip products from are MAC (tons of color and texture options), Bobbi Brown (lots of great neutrals and everyday colors), Giorgio Armani (classic colors and I love their sheer and shine lipsticks), Smashbox (awesome glosses). One of my latest cheap finds is 99 cent lip gloss from Sally Beauty Supply. The glosses are mini and found right by the counter.