Five Minute Face

If you only have five minutes to get your face on, you may not have time for your full routine.  You can still make yourself look presentable and naturally beautiful with just a few products.  Select multi-tasking products when possible to save yourself time.  If you want to see my quick and easy natural makeup look, keep reading!

 1.  When time is of the essence, BB cream packs a big punch.  Even though my skin is on the drier side, the Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream provides enough moisture that I can use it as a 2-in-1 moisturizer + foundation (it also provides SPF and can act as a primer... so I guess it's really more like a 4-in-1 product).  It gives nice, natural coverage, and I normally just use my fingers to apply it.  If you have oily skin, go for the oil free version.  BB creams are so big now that many companies make them.  If you have any major imperfections that the BB cream won't cover, add concealer where you need it.

2.  Brows are next.  If you're lucky enough to have naturally full eyebrows, you could probably skip this step.  For me, filling them in is essential.  I think full brows make any face appear more put-together (just compare the picture above with the one below to see what a difference it can make!).  I use Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in the color Mahogany with an angled brush from this Essential Tools Kit from Walmart.  This brush deposits just the right amount of shadow and has a spoolie on the other side to blend the color.  I also like using the spoolie before I fill my brows in to comb through and tame them.

3.  Wearing mascara with no shadow or liner makes your eyes look so bright and awake.  I first curl them with my Sephora Eyelash Curler, then I add three thick coats of mascara (I used Mary Kay Lash Love, sold by Mary Kay reps) on my top lashes and just a little bit on my bottom lashes.  Especially if you're not wearing any other eye makeup, don't skimp on the mascara!  Go ahead and build it up like it's nobody's business.


4.  Apply a little bit of blush on the apples of your cheeks for a nice, healthy glow.  Here I used Bobbi Brown Blush in the color Desert Pink, but any soft pink blush would do.  If you have time for blush or bronzer but not both, always pick blush.  Use a big, fluffy brush for a natural flush.  I like the Real Techniques Blush Brush.

5.  Lips are last.  I tend to go for more neutral colors with this natural makeup look, and here I'm using MAC Lipstick in Creme Cup.

And that's it!  I didn't use cream blush in this look, but that's a great multi-tasking product that is quick and can work as both a blush and a lipstick.  If you have another minute or so and want to crank it up a notch, dip your finger into any light, shimmery eyeshadow and rub it underneath your brow bone and on top of your cheekbones for a nice highlight.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and feel free to leave your quick makeup tips down below!

How To Apply False Lashes

Who doesn't love false lashes?  They can amp up any look and can draw attention to your eyes.  False lashes also come in many different styles with varying lengths and thicknesses for endless possibilities. Because there are so many options available, choosing the right lash for you can be a daunting and overwhelming task.  Keep in mind that we all have different eye shapes, and not all types of lashes look good on all shapes.  If you browse through the false lash section at Walmart, you'll find some lashes that are longer at the outer corners and shorter on the inner corner (my favorite), lashes that are longer in the middle and shorter on both ends, and some with the same length throughout (best for girls with round, Katy Perry-like eyes).  If you've never used false lashes and don't know where to start, I would recommend getting one of each kind and trying them all to see which one you like best.  My favorite brands are Ardell and Salon Perfect (a cheaper Walmart version).

Once you get the hang of it, applying false lashes is easy, but it is hard in the beginning, so don't get frustrated!  Practice makes perfect.  Also, it is a good idea to practice when you're not in a hurry and don't have anywhere to go.  You don't want to be trying this out for the first time right before a big date or special event!

Now that you have your lashes, you will also need a pair of tweezers (any cheap kind is fine), lash glue, mascara, and some sort of black eyeliner.  Glue comes in two variations: one that dries clear and one that dries dark.  I prefer the dark.  Some come in squeeze tubes, but I like the Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive because it has a brush that allows you to easily paint the glue onto the lash band.  The lashes pictured here are the Salon Perfect Perfectly Natural 53s, found at Walmart.  I love these because they're one of the most natural looking ones I've seen, and they don't make you look like you're wearing falsies--they just make you look like you have naturally amazing lashes.   If you want a slightly more glamorous lash, go with the Ardell 120 Demis.  I used these on my wedding day.

Prep:  Apply your liner (I used L'Oreal Carbon Black Telescopic Liquid Liner) and one coat of black mascara (Maybelline The Falsies).  The liner is absolutely necessary--it helps to hide the lash band.  The mascara helps to blend your real lashes with the false ones.  You can also do mascara after your false lashes.

*I would like to apologize in advance for the quality of some of these pictures.  I did the best with what I have.  I need a setup with better lighting and an HD camera.

Step 1:
Gently remove one lash from its packaging, and grab it in the middle with your tweezers.

Step 2:
Apply a thin layer of the lash glue to the band only (try not to get it on the actual lashes) with the most product going on both ends of the lashes.  They shouldn't detach from your skin throughout the day, but if they do, they would lift at one of the ends.  This glue is black but looks blue in my weird lighting!  Clearly, I need a better setup.

Step 3:
Wait 45 seconds before applying the lash to your eye in order to let the glue get a bit tacky.  If you try to put it on too soon, it'll just fall off.

Step 4:
Ok, the tricky part begins.  What you want to do here is bring the lash up to your eye with the tweezers and line the outer edge of the lash with the outermost part of your eye.  Don't worry about the inner part--if the falsies don't cover your whole lashline, just make sure they line up with the outer part.  Now, lay the lash down right on top of your lash line in the center of your eye.  Try to get the lash as far down as you possibly can!  Having the lash band too far up is a dead giveaway that you're wearing falsies. 

Step 5:
Now that you've got the lash attached to the center part of your eye, grab the outer part of the lash with your tweezers and do the same thing--get it down as close as you can to your lashline, and once the glue is in tact with your skin in the right place, keep a little pressure on it for a few seconds to make sure it really adheres, then release the tweezers.

Step 6:
Grab the inner corner of your lash and do the same thing as you did in step 5.

Step 7:
If the lash isn't exactly where you want it, you have a little time to fix it.  Once they're in the right place, press down on the band to make sure every part of it is in tact with skin.

Step 8:
Blink onto your finger to help the lashes dry in a nice, upward position.

Step 9:
The glue will take a few minutes to dry, so leave the lashes alone for a few minutes as you finish up your makeup.  When you're done, look to see if any glue is visible.  If so, go over the band with your eyeliner to hide it.  You can use any eyeliner, but liquid liner seems to work best for this step, even if you used a different kind to prep.  You can also add more mascara if it looks like your real lashes aren't completely blended with the false ones or if you just want a little extra oomph.

And... you're done!

Lashes are easy to remove.  Usually, you can just lift up on the outer corner and peel them right off.  If that freaks you out, or if you're having a hard time, put some eye makeup remover on a Q-tip and gently run it along the lash band.  It should come right off.  You can use one pair of falsies multiple times, so don't throw them away when you're done.  Just try to peel as much of the glue off as possible, and store them in the original container.

Feel free to leave any comments or questions below.  Thanks for reading, and good luck!

Touching Up/Purse Makeup

Recently, my amazing mom called me from her hotel room asking me how she could touch up to go out for dinner.  She already had makeup on and didn't want to wash her face and start over.  Then she gave me the great idea to do a post on this.  (Thanks, Mom!)

For as much as I love makeup, I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to touching up throughout the day.  This is what I typically carry in my purse:

Mirror/Face Powder:
The round, purple thing is a foldable brush/mirror.  It was about $1 at Ulta.  I don't carry a powder compact because I found that when I did carry one, I never used it.  But this is probably because I have dry skin.  If you are oily, you will probably want to carry face powder with you to keep your oiliness at bay (and most come with a mirror).  You can use the little puff that comes with most compacts, but I think you get better results if you use a kabuki brush.  Ones like the Real Techniques Kabuki Brush are small and can be carried in your purse.  Perhaps even more important than powder if you are oily are oil blotting sheets.  I used to always have these on hand when I had oilier skin in high school (you can find them at the drugstore for just a couple bucks or so).  These are good because instead of piling on more product, they just remove the excess oil from your skin without disturbing your makeup. 

Lips/Cheeks:
I always carry some kind of lip balm/chapstick with me.  This one is by Nivea from the drugstore.  I also like this Cover Girl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in the color Blush Twist because it's somewhat moisturizing and super easy to apply on the go--you really don't even need a mirror.  It's a nice "your lips but better" color.  It was actually the lipstick I wore on my wedding day! (Thanks to my cousin for holding onto it :)).  Cream blush is also a great thing to keep in your purse because you can use it as a blush and a lip color, eliminating the need for you to carry a separate lipstick if you don't want to.  In my opinion, blush is an important thing to touch up if it has faded.  It's amazing how just a little color on your cheeks can make you look so fresh.  If you're at home, you can touch up with a powder blush if you want.  Cream blush is great on the go though because you can apply it with your fingers. 

Eyebrows:
I have naturally very sparse brows and will not leave the house without filling them in first.  But in case I need to touch up during the day, I keep my Maybelline Eye Studio Master Shape Brow Pencil in Deep Brown with me.  Filling in your eyebrows can make a HUGE difference!! You don't have to wear as much makeup if you fill in your brows (unless you want to), as nice, full brows make your face look more put-together.  If you want to see a post on this, comment below.

Q-Tips:
Yes.  Q-tips.  If your eyeliner smudges throughout the day, or if your eyeshadow has creased, cleaning it up with a q-tip will work much better than trying to pile more product on top of the mess.

Eyeliner:
I would recommend a retractable one that doesn't require sharpening to keep in your purse if you want to touch up liner throughout the day.  This one is the Ulta Automatic Eyeliner in Black/Brown.  While this stuff has good staying power, I don't like it as much as the Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Eyeliner, which also has great staying power but glides on much more smooth than the Ulta one.  In my opinion, it's just a better quality product.

Concealer:
I don't carry concealer with me, but this would be a good thing to touch up on for a night out if you're at home where all your makeup is.

In General...
You do want to be somewhat careful about not piling on cream products over powder if you already have powder on (like with cream blush or concealer), as this can cause the product to collect in certain spots and appear patchy.  If you're freshening up with face powder, you don't have to use it all over.  You can just use it on your oily areas.  If you are applying cream over powder, try and use the cream product sparingly.  After all, the idea of freshening up is to look fresh, not like you're wearing 80 layers of makeup!  These are my recommendations for touch-ups and purse products.  What are yours?

Changing Makeup with the Season: Fall

As we transition into fall, I find my tastes changing with everything from perfume to lipstick... and everything in between!  I don't know what it is, and I'm sure some of you can relate, but something about the colder weather makes me opt for warmer fragrances and richer colors.  Of course, there's no written rule about this.  If you want to rock the same colors all year long, go for it!  This is just what I love for fall.

Nails:
I tend to enjoy less bright and more deep, neutral, or taupe-colored polishes.  I got this one last fall, and it's one of my favorites.  It's from the OPI German Collection in the shade My Very First Knockwurst.

Eyes:
I love darker eyeshadows and smokey eyes this time of year.  These shadows are gorgeous and look beautiful on any skin color.  I enjoy wearing different combinations of them or even wearing them alone. Colors are:
Top left- NYX Single Eyeshadow in Charcoal Brown
Top right- Bare Minerals Glimmer Eyeshadw in Queen Tiffany
Bottom right- Urban Decay Shadow in Toasted from the Naked Palette
Bottom left- in Hustle from the Naked Palette

Blush:

Bright pinks and corals are great in the summer.  In the fall and winter, I like deeper colors. 

Top- Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks in Blushed Rose.  This is an awesome cream brush that you can also use as a lipstick!

Bottom- Bobbi Brown Blush in Desert Pink.  This is a great neutral pink.

Lips:

My favorite part!  The way I see it, you have a couple options.  You can either go neutral or bold.  (Rule of thumb: pick dark eyes or dark lips, but not both!  Go with neutral eyeshadow if you do a dark lip and vice versa).  One of my favorite things to do for fall is to throw my hair in a big bun and pair it with heavy black eyeliner and mascara (but no eyeshadow), a bold lip (Revlon Lip Butter in Lollipop--shown below):

Bright Favs: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipcolor in Love That Pink (left) and Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Lollipop (right)

Neutral Fav: MAC Lipstick in Creme Cup.  This is a gorgeous pinky nude that looks great with a dark smokey eye!

And finally... Body Mist and Perfume:
 I love warm, sweet-smelling body sprays like Bath & Body Works Fragrance Mist in Warm Vanilla Sugar and Victoria's Secret PINK Body Mist in Warm & Cozy.  These scents are almost like comfort food for your senses when you're depressed about the cold weather.  Yummm.

My favorite perfume for this time of year is Dior's Miss Dior.  O. M. G. This perfume smells so sophisticated, and every time I put it on, I imagine myself in Paris.

So those are my fall favorites!  What are yours?

Everyday Face Makeup

When done correctly, face makeup can make your skin look even and flawless while highlighting your best features.  The goal here is not to make you look like you have makeup on--it is to make your skin appear naturally beautiful.  You never want to look like you've caked on a bunch of foundation.  You do want to look like you just have really beautiful skin.  This is my go-to face makeup routine.  Yours may not be exactly the same as mine; you should make appropriate product substitutions to fit your skin's needs.  I have normal to dry skin, so I tend to go for products that make my skin appear glowy versus matte.  You may not even need foundation if you're lucky enough to have naturally flawless skin.  And if you're in a hurry, you can skip some of the steps and only do what your skin really needs.

*I applied moisturizer and eye cream as well as my eye makeup first.

1. Dot your foundation all over your face with your fingers, then use a Beauty Blender (if you're not familiar with the Beauty Blender, go buy one immediately! You use it damp, and it gives the perfect natural-looking finish) to pat the product into your skin (don't rub if you use the Beauty Blender).  You can also use a foundation brush like the Sigma F80 to buff the product into your skin with circular motions.  My favorite everyday foundation is the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup.

2.  Dot a pink-toned concealer under your eyes and blend it in with the tip of the Beauty Blender (again, patting instead of rubbing).  I like the Bobbi Brown Corrector.  You want to use a pinker concealer under your eyes instead of a yellow concealer to counteract dark circles.

3. Use a large brush like the Sigma F50 to apply bronzer for a sun-kissed glow.  Bronzer should go underneath your cheekbones, on your temples, and on your jawline.  You can also blend it down your neck if your face looks more tan than your neck.  The bronzer I used here is the Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder.

4.  Use a fluffy blush brush like the Real Techniques Blush Brush to apply your blush.  Smile to find the apples of your cheeks, and use the brush to buff the blush into your skin.  The blush I used is the ELF Studio Blush in Passion Pink (looks super bright in the pan but sheers out and is beautiful on all skin tones).  Your bronzer and blush should blend into one another--there shouldn't be an obvious line of demarkation between the two.

5.  Optional:  Use a light, iridescent highlighting powder on the tops of your cheekbones and down your nose to give you a candle-lit glow.  Here, I used the Lorac Perfectly Lit Luminizing Powder in Spotlight with a Bare Minearls Tapered Blush Brush (any small, fluffy brush will work).

6.  Take a soft kabuki brush with no product on it (like the Real Techniques Kabuki Brush) and go over your face in circular motions.  This is an important step that will blend everything together (again, you don't want obvious lines).  If you have oily skin or are concerned about the staying power of your makeup, you can put some setting powder on the brush for this step.  I usually skip powder because I have dry skin.

The end result is even, natural-looking skin!  (Yes, this was the same day.  I just changed my outfit).  If you have any face makeup tips, leave them below!

Help: I Don't Like What I Just Bought!

I'm sure we've all had the experience of buying something, trying it out, and realizing we're not crazy about it.  You then feel guilty that you spent money on it.  If you can't return it, what do you do?  You could always give it to a friend whom you think might get more use out of it than you, or you could think outside the box and try to find a way to make it work for you. 

Problem:
Your foundation shade is off.

Solution:
 If you don't already have one, buy another shade to mix it with (it's ok if it's not the same product).  Mixing a shade that's too light with a shade that's too dark will combine to form a color that's right for you.  You can also mix foundations with different textures and coverage levels.  For example, you could combine a dewy finish with a matte finish foundation so it's neither too dry nor too glowy.  Combine them in 50/50 ratios, or use slightly more of one foundation than the other--whatever you need to make it right for you!

Problem:
Your foundation or under-eye concealer is too thick or dry.

Solution:
Dilute the foundation with moisturizer and the concealer with eye cream.  If your skin looks cakey or feels dry, this can help.

Problem:
Your bronzer is too light, too dark, or just too... something

Solution:
Use it with a dome-shaped brush as a crease shade for your eyes.  You'll be surprised at how well this works.

Problem:
Your blush is too light or frosty.

Solution:
Use it as a highlight on top of your cheekbones.

Problem:
Your mascara just doesn't do enough for you,

Solution:
Go back to a mascara you do like for your upper lashes, and use the bad mascara on your lower lashes since they don't need as much definition (that way, you don't waste the product)

Problem:
Your lipstick or eyeshadow shade just isn't right

Solution:
Layer it with another.  There are endless possibilities here!

Have fun!

Bright Eyeliner--Make It Wearable!

You see a bright, beautiful cobalt blue eyeliner staring you in the face in the eye makeup aisle at Ulta.  You have absolutely no idea when you'd wear it, as you're into natural-looking makeup.  But it's... so... pretty.  So what do you do?  You buy it and let it sit in your makeup drawer... unused... and unloved.  Keep reading if you want to learn how to make that gorgeous gem wearable!

In my opinion, a color pop is the best way to wear these.  A color pop is when you use neutral shadows and your standard black or brown liner on top but give the look a "pop" by using a bright colored eyeliner on your lower lashline.  This look is fun and can make the color of your irises really stand out.

Here I'm using Ulta's Automatic Eyeliner in Cobalt.  This product is ok... it stays on throughout the day pretty well but isn't very soft.  I actually like the NYX Slide On Eye Pencil a lot better--it's incredibly soft and glides on with no effort, and it stays put all day.  Nonetheless, the Ulta pencil was what I had and works fine.  You can try this with any color.  I also really like to use purple and green.

Apply the liner to your bottom lashline (don't worry about making it too perfect), then blend it out with a q-tip or a pencil brush like the Sigma E30 Pencil Brush.  You want it to look well-blended and not too precise.  Here's the result up close...

It's fun but doesn't scream OMG SHE'S WEARING BLUE EYELINER.  And from far away, you can't even tell that you've got a bright color on, so that makes it wearable...

I hope you enjoyed this post.  Try it out and send me a picture!