Pucker up!

Lips. Everyone has them. Lipstick is a fun color to play with, and similar to eyeshadow, everyone can wear every color -- it's a matter of finding the correct shade for your skin.

First things first: the tools.

Lip Liner:  Used to (obviously) line the lips. Liner comes in pencil form only, either sharpen or roll up. Lip liner is designed to keep the lipstick/gloss from feathering outward. Lip liner should be kept as close to the shade of lipstick/gloss that you are using, so a good rule of thumb is to have a warm, cool and neutral color of lip liner to get your color wardrobe started. Once you get the hang of it, feel free to have liner to match each shade of lip product you own!

Lip stick: This should be obvious. It's in a tube. Been around for a while. Lipstick will give the most color payoff.

Lip gloss: Gloss tends to be in a tube that applies with a doe foot (looks like a q-tip) or with a brush at the end. Gloss is sheer, and does not provide a lot of color, but does provide a nice shine.


Many makeup brands are starting to come out with all kinds of other kinds of lip products -- stain, glaze, etc. While they are nice, they're just fancy names for the 3 basics.

Ok, now that we know what to use, let's talk about how to use it.

Lip liner should not be obvious. Liner can be used to correct lip shapes that are not even, but is mainly there to keep your lip color from feathering out. Liner should be a natural color, or (even better) as close to the lip color you're wearing.

Quick Tip! Use liner all over to maintain your lip color longer.


To create the illusion of bigger lips, use gloss on top of your lip color, but mostly in the center of your mouth.



Try to use lip colors that work with the other colors you're wearing -- if you wear warm colors in your makeup/clothes, use a warmer lipstick (warm = brown, red, olives, oranges, etc). If you're a cooler person, use a cooler lipstick (cool = blue, purple, pink).

The best rule to keep in mind: when in doubt, ask your best friend. If they look at you like you've lost your mind, probably not the color for you.

SOME PLACES TO TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Merle Norman

MAC

Clinique

Mary Kay

Bobbi Brown

Many drugstores will allow you to bring back a lip product after you have used it (and changed your mind). Check your store's return policy to be sure.

Talking about eyebrows, bitches

That's right. Those things above your eyes? Yeah. Stop fucking with them.

First, if you don't know what you're doing, leave them alone. Eyebrows are finicky. If you don't understand the basics of brows, then leave it to the professionals.

Rule 1: You need brows. Brows frame the face, and can even aid in giving a faux-lift to the eye when done right.

This guy failed Rule 1.

Rule 2: Brows should not be over seen.

Looking at you ma'am. sir. Looking at you.

Rule 3: It's called tweezing, not plucking. You pluck a chicken. You tweeze brows. (Hence the tool, 'tweezers'). When tweezing, tweeze from underneath the brow. Do not tweeze above the brow, as you lose the shape. Brows have a natural arch to them. Depending on your face, the arch can be high or low. The arch should be just past the iris of your eye.

See those lines? Follow that guide, just like these celebrities:

• Angelina Jolie
• Anne Hathaway
• Kim Kardashian (pseudo-celeb, but look at those damn brows!
• Kate Hudson
• Drew Barrymore
• Cameron Diaz
• Megan Fox
• Scarlett Johanson
• Brooke Sheilds
• Sandra Bullock

There are more, just look around. All over the magazines, you can see what brows should look like. 

Rule 4: If you need to use a pencil, powder, brow tint or any combination of the three to get your brows to perfection, please do the world a favor, and do not color them on as if you used a sharpie.

See? She even looks like she's in pain.

All in all, if you're in doubt, suck it up, and pay the money to get them professionally done, then invest in a good pair of tweezers to maintain the shape.

...Just don't do what this girl did:

Mascara

Ok, so the title is not catchy; get over it. We're talking about mascara.

Mascara is used to define the eye. Eyeliner is an aid to that, but have you seen celebrities "without" makeup? Yeah, they're totally wearing mascara.

Mascara comes in many different colors. Simple rule for that? Stick with what is natural to you: Natural Blondes and should use brown - platinum brown, very dark brown - it doesn't matter; just use a version of brown. It looks more natural. Always use 2 coats. (Now, if you're going dramatic, black is ok, but black tends to look harsher on people with those hair colors, as they tend to have fair skin tones). That way you get the color you want, without looking like a streetwalker. Brunettes should stick with black for the same reasons. Mascara with funky colors are ok for drama, but I tend to shy away from them as you can create that same look without having to spend the money (that tip is coming, hang on!).

When buying your mascara, you should think: What do I want my mascara to do?

Lengthening mascara tends to have a long cone-shaped bristle, and have long wands.

Thickening (aka Voluminous) mascara tend to have bristles that are close together and bulkier in the middle. 

You want both? Mascara that offers both of those benefits tend to have a long, bulky, cone-shaped bristle.

Then there is the regular mascara: that wand is simple, with a spiral bristle. This bristle helps to prevent clumps, but will only define your lashes but won't do anything more than that.

Quick Tip! Mascara has a short shelf life. Throw your mascara away after 4 months. Can't remember to do that? Remember my sharpie? Label your tube.


Quick Tip! Mascara should not clump up when you are putting it on, especially not after 2 coats. If it's clumpy, toss it.


Quick Tip! Mascara should not flake off. Flaky mascara is old mascara. Time to replace it.


Quick Tip! DO NOT SHARE YOUR MASCARA. PINK EYE IS NOT SEXY!

This is not what I put on this morning...

Have you ever put on a blush or a foundation in the morning, and about halfway through the day realized that it had drastically changed color? Foundation is too dark; blush is suddenly tangerine... Blame your skin.

Oily skin has a tendency to change the colors of your makeup throughout the day. It is a common problem, and one that can be solved in a few different ways:

The easiest way to avoid your makeup changing it's pigmentation is to wear a primer. Foundation primer will create a base between your moisturizer and whatever color choices you make next (foundation, powder, blush).

Foundation primer is a simple step, but one that can can save you money in the long run. Foundation primer acts like any other primer -- it seals in what's underneath, and creates a good base upon which to make your foundation. When you use a primer, you will notice that you use less of your foundation, powder, and blush, as it is sitting on the primer, and not soaking into the skin.

Primer is not to be considered a moisturizer, even if it is labeled as having moisturizing benefits. Primer should be a separate step -- moisturize, let it dry, prime, let it dry, then proceed with your color (foundation, powder, blush -- whatever it is that you do).

One of the other choices you can make when your colors are changing on you is to modify what products you are using. If you realize that a light pink is going to turn peach on you, then use it with a warm color palette -- peach, oranges, browns. That way, you can use what you have -- no wasting of product!

I tend to have very oily skin in the summer time, and dry skin in the winter. I have to modify what I wear during each season, as primer doesn't help me in the summer. For me, it is easier to know what I can wear. I have 2 blushes that I know will work, no matter the season -- a soft brown, and a brown-pink. Both are from Merle Norman (Soft Mocha and Dusty Rose Lasting Cheek Color, if you're interested). I switch up my blushes from time to time -- I love MAC mineral blushes in the fall. However, my go-to blushes tend to be those two colors, as I know that no matter the season, they won't change too much on me. They are both light shades, so at the most, the color just intensifies.

So I have all this skin care... Now what?

We've all been there. The lady at the makeup counter talks you into buying all this skin care - products for pores, anti-aging, redness, acne - then once you get home and take it out the bag, all the well-meant instructions are long forgotten, somewhere between that cute dress and trying to remember where the car is parked.

The most simple and general rule that I can provide is this: Apply skin care products on clean skin, from thinnest to thickest, followed by moisturizer.


(Quick Tip! Once you figure out the order, label the bottles. I keep a Sharpie in my bathroom for just that.)




To get a little more detailed, let's talk about the products.

Serums, specifically those that are moisturizing, should go on first. They will deliver an immediate moisture impact. Most of these will not take more product than your thumb nail to cover your entire face and neck. (Yes, neck! Always bring products down to your neck when applying skincare!)

Exfoliators, generally those that are glycolic acids, etc, should be done at night. Products like that tend to slough the dead skin cells off, and this could cause your makeup to roll up -- not attractive. These products should always be dry to the touch on your skin before applying the next layer of skincare.

Anti-Aging would go next. This includes products that target wrinkles, redness and discoloration.

After that, moisturizer and eye cream. Moisturizer and eye cream are interchangable in the sense of when to put them on.

Moisturizer should be carried onto the neck. Anything that is brought onto the neck should be done in a downward motion (just think about not giving yourself a double chin!).

Moisturizer and eye creams should stop at the cheek bone. DO NOT CARRY THESE PRODUCTS UP TO THE LOWER LASH LINE! When carried up there, eye-liner, mascara -- all that sits on top of those products and will tend to ride around during the day. This is what causes sharp lines that were applied in the morning to look like yesterday's smudged lines by lunch. Your skin will allow the moisturizers/eye creams to move upward, without causing your perfectly applied makeup to look like you had a hard night.

Brushes vs Sponges

It's the ultimate makeup debate: brush or sponge. Here's a consolidated list of what each one does, and when you should use them.

Fingers

Fingers are good when you are wanting to blot on a lipstick, to create a stained effect. They are great for applying skin care. Makeup? not so much. When you use your fingers to apply makeup, you are contaminating that container with whatever was on your hands. Example? You put on your favorite anti-aging products, then your moisturizer, followed by primer -- all with your hands. Then you reach for your bottle of foundation and put your hands right in that -- that bottle you just picked up now has the remnants of those products on it. And whatever you had on yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that... You get the picture. Not so hygienic. Fingers are gentle enough for skin care products, as a lot of the ingredients tend to overlap, and won't cause the products to degrade (ie, not work as hard to do what they're supposed to do). When you put on your zit cream with salicylic acid and then put that into your makeup, that acid will break down whatever your hand touched. Coverage, pigment, whatever -- not what the manufacturer intended.

Sponges

I love sponges! Sponges are great for application, blending, corrections -- you name it. The question is what sponge to use for which application. Here's a break down:

• Wedge sponge: I love to use these for foundations, primers, and shadow bases.
• Round sponges: Mostly, because of the shape and size, these are good for foundation, and some buffing/blending around the jaw line.
• Shadow sponges: Wonderful when you're trying to get the most out of your pigment. Shadow sponges really help to place the color right where you want it.

Brushes

Brushes are amazing when you're looking for application to be precise. Brushes extend the hand, and allow you to see where you are placing product.

• Foundation Brushes can be used for so much more than foundation -- Masks, skincare, even shadows!
• Powder, blush and blunt brushes I use interchangeably. They are very similar to each other, and there is not really a need to dirty up several brushes when you can use just one, and get the same effect.
• Large shadow brushes are great for washes and lid colors. Depending on the look, they can be used for a crease/corner color
• Shadow brushes are a great tool: shadow washes, lid colors, creases -- even when you need to blend powder over corrective makeup!
• Concealer brushes are wonderful for the obvious, concealer, but also when you are looking for a high pigment of color -- because they are synthetic 99% of the time, pigment stays on the bristle and is placed onto your lid/brow/wherever with color payoff fairly close to what is in the container.

To be sure that your sponges and brushes are hygienic and to maintain longevity, be sure to clean them! Antibacterial soap or a good gentle shampoo (think anything that you would use on a baby) will clean out the product and keep them fresh. Always dry any cleaned brush laying flat, so as to not dissolve the glue holding the bristles in. As long as there is no sharing, or infections, brushes can be washed once a week. Sponges should be washed after one use.

Tip! Just place your dirty brushes/sponges in the sink as you are done with them. When you go to wash your hands, they're right there to be washed!

Where is My Acne Coming From?

Acne. It is one of the biggest skin problems that women face. It creates uneven texture and redness that isn't always easy to hide.

Growing up, we are told that acne is the result of eating the wrong things, not drinking enough water, not washing make up off. And to some extent, that's true, but acne is caused by several different factors. Let's discuss a few of those myths.


Myth 1: If I eat chocolate/french fries/other greasy food, I will get acne.


Truth? Sorry. You would be depriving yourself for nothing. Acne is not caused by eating those foods. If you get them all over your hands, and then rub your face, maybe. But the consumption of them alone will not cause acne to form.




Myth 2: If I don't drink enough water, I'll get bumps.


Truth? You're more likely to look wrinkled than bumpy. It's always good to drink water, and it can help to clear up some skin problems that dehydration can cause (redness, dryness, cracked skin), but water alone is not going to clear your skin. That's why you don't wash your face in water alone.




Myth 3: If I don't wash my makeup off at night, I will get acne.


That one is true. Any way you look at it, you are covering your skin (and therefore your pores) with a layer of product. Leaving it there over night can be a catalyst for acne (whiteheads and blackheads). When you sleep with your makeup on, it transfers to your pillow case. Even if you don't wash your face twice a week, it's on your pillow case, and you might as well have worn it every day, all day. It's not healthy, and it's not hygienic. Just be sure to get a good eye makeup remover and a good facial cleanser. Clean your face, and keep your pillowcases (and quite frankly, your entire sheet set) washed, and it will help to prevent future breakouts.




Myth 4: If I scrub my face everyday, I will prevent new acne and will clear up current breakouts.


Truth? If you're scrubbing your face with any type of beaded 'scrub' wash during a breakout, the only thing you're doing is spreading it around. Acne is caused by bacteria, and that bacteria loves to ride around to a new home when it can. Any time during an active breakout, stick with a facial brush or your hands for gentle cleansing that won't pick up that acne causing bacteria.


Acne is described by either a blackhead, whitehead, or cystic acne.

Blackheads are pores that have become filled with bacteria, dead skin cells and oil that has oxidized (basically, air has gotten to it). Blackheads can be removed by using an exfoliating mask (clay mask, etc). It will be a gradual process, but it won't hurt or scar.

Whiteheads are exactly like blackheads, except they have no place for air to hit them, and therefore remain white. Whiteheads can be removed in a similar manor, except the mask will reduce the inflammation as well.

Cystic Acne is acne that is deep under the skin. It tends to be red, and can be painful to the touch. Cystic acne is something that most over-the-counter systems has trouble controlling, as it tends to be an internal event, and topical treatments do not tend to help. Cystic acne is best treated by a dermatologist.


One of the main rules to remember for acne: NEVER POP YOUR ZITS! This includes whiteheads, blackheads, bumps, zits, pimples, whatever you call them - do not pop them. All you are doing is breaking that skin barrier and creating a place for infection to occur.

First things first: Your Skin

The most common mistake I see women make is with their basic skin care -- they don't have any. All women have skin, but few care for it.

There are 3 basic steps every woman (and person, really) should take for their skin: Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize. Regardless of skin type, those are the steps that should be followed.

Cleansing, which is pretty self explanatory, removes makeup and soil from the face.
Toning will remove any residue from the cleanser, and will pickup what the cleanser left behind.
Moisturizing will keep your skin looking it's best.

Now to do this, one must know what their skin type is: Oily, Dry or somewhere in between? Sensitive? Acne prone? They're all different, and most people experience a combination everything at some point in their life. Telling the difference isn't as hard as it seems:

Oily skin tends to show shine early in the day, usually before noon. Oil is noticed across the entire forehead, on the cheeks, the nose and chin.

Dry skin tends to not have shine at all.

Normal/Oily and Normal/Dry skin are very similar. The oil is in almost the exact same spots -- T-zone and a little on the cheeks and chin. The difference is in how the skin feels without moisturizer: dry skin feels tight.

Acne Prone skin is skin that breaks out regularly, typically associated with teens and young adults. Acne can be present in the form of blackheads, whiteheads and cystic acne.

Sensitive Skin is skin that is, well, sensitive. To anything. To everything. Skin that turns red, or that has a condition, such as rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, etc. 

Acne prone and sensitive skin should be under the treatment of a dermatologist, but there are some over the counter items that can help the symptoms.

Once you determine you skin type, you can determine how to care for it - and then how to make it up!

About Me

I have worked with skincare and cosmetics for 4 years. While I am no longer doing that professionally, I still have a love for all things beauty.

Beauty is not just about makeup. In fact, most people I worked with did not wear half of what is available for consumers to buy -- including skin care. Skin care is one of the hardest items to convince someone to buy (and, for the record, lipstick is the easiest).

Lucky for you, I'm not in sales anymore. However, I still see people making the same beauty mistakes over and over again. And with that, I'm here to help.