It’s way too easy to get into a make-up rut. You’re running late. You don’t feel like wasting your money on something you’re unsure of. You’re comfortable. There are a million and seventeen reasons not to change a look you’ve perfected. But everyone needs to shake up their make-up bag every once in a  while!

One sure fire way to change your look without jumping off of a make-up cliff is by going with a classic look. It’s worked for thousands of other women, so you’ll look fabulous too. No nerves necessary. Right now, the retro glam look isn’t so retro anymore. It’s everywhere in 2012. Who doesn’t want to be described as “glamourous,”  because I know I do! Our friends at College Fashion give you the easiest tutorial ever to get the look, including what products to buy. If it were any simpler, they would have to come to your house/dorm/apartment and do it for you!

Ariana Romero is a student at Syracuse University. That would probably explain why she once had a load of laundry filled solely with orange tee shirts. She watches too much television and reads too much entertainment news than is probably healthy. Follow her on Twitter @ArianaRomero17.

[Lead image via Subbotina Anna/Shutterstock]

What It Is:

BECCA Balearic Love Line & Define Pencil in Cabrera

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

BECCA is an Australian brand that we haven’t seen on CC in a while! They’re latest collection, Balearic Love, “invites you to dream of distant shores and unguarded temptation with the Balearic Love Collection.” The promotional photos are gorgeous, and I was so excited to try and recreate the look myself. Fun fact: Cabrera refers to an islet of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It’s a National Park and renowned for its beautiful landscapes.

A double-ended eyeliner is always a real treat! BECCA says this is a “combination liner and brightener in one [and] this convenient dual-ended pencil has a soft, smooth texture that glides on easily to line, define and brighten the eyes, while blending easily.” Let’s see how it performs!

How To Use It:
First, I was a bit confused by the use instructions. Apparently, the “dark side of BECCA’s Line & Define Pencil lavishly lines while the light side helps brighten and awaken tired eyes,” which is nice, however my pencil features a deep violet on one end and a metallic bronze on the other, neither of which are particularly light. I decided that the bronze must be the “light” side and used it accordingly. I lined my upper lids with the violet and my lower lashline with the bronze.

CC Rating: A

If the BECCA Balearic Love Line & Define Pencil in Cabrera was was simply marketed as a double-ended eyeliner, it would be receiving an A+ from me! The other shade in this collection, Santorini, is navy blue and buff, which seems a lot more like a defining and brightening duo to me. I really didn’t find either of the sides to brighten my eyes, though the deep violet and metallic bronze both complimented my green/grey eyes spectacularly. The violet is so multi-dimensional and shifts from a deep plum to a warm-toned brown. It’s a nice alternative to black liner and has certainly won a place in my eyeliner heart. The bronze is also brilliantly pigmented, and I like utilizing it to add definition to my lower lashline.

As for application, that was a dreamy experience. BECCA’s pencil glided on effortlessly and didn’t tug at my eyelids at all. As a result of being so soft, it didn’t have unreal staying power, but did turn into a subtle, smokey look that I didn’t entirely mind. I found it stayed solid for about 3 hours and then required a touch-up, which is easy when the product is so portable.

I’m blown away by BECCA’s Balearic Love Line & Define Pencil in Cabrera and am tempted to go back and pick up Santorini. If you’re on the hunt for a stunning, summertime liner or want to add some variety to your eyeliner collection, check out Cabrera for $23. It’s available on BECCA’s website, along with the entire Balearic Love collection.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

Hair chalking is one of the hottest new trends in the beauty world right now. It’s a great alternative to dying your tips or getting colored highlights because it washes out. Plus, you can easily change colors whenever you want! While some people are using art pastels to do it, companies like Hi-Definition Beauty have formulated a special chalk just for hair! It’s safe and made with all natural ingredients. And because it contains jojoba oil, Color Fusion actually conditions your hair instead of drying out your locks. I tested it out just for you, and I must say it’s pretty cool!

Watch below to see how it works!

We all have our everyday beauty routine, but sometimes it’s fun to try out a new hairstyle or paint your nails a fun pattern! If you’re anything like me and always looking for new beauty inspiration, look no further than The Beauty Department.

The Beauty Department is of my favorite go-to resources on the web since I discovered the site a few months ago. Brought to you by the always-chic Lauren Conrad and her hairstylist and makeup artists, Kristin Ess and Amy Nadine, The Beauty Department houses all sorts of wonderful hair, makeup and nail how-tos and helpful tips, accompanied by gorgeous pictures!

Check out this this fab ombré manicure or this colorful, temporary hair color idea or these articles on how to seal your mascara and clear-skin tips. In addition to the great tutorials and tips, The Beauty Department also has great articles on current and upcoming beauty trends (like hair chalking), and even hosts awesome giveaways every once in a while!

A lot of you may have even seen The Beauty Department‘s hair and/or makeup tutorials on Pinterest and didn’t realize that they came from this awesome little site. Every day there is something new to learn – the site provides you with your “daily dose of pretty”!

What It Is:

LAQA & Co. Fat Lip Pencil in Wolfman and Lambchop

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

I’m been loving lip pencils lately, especially ones with twist-up bottoms! No sharpening! They are easy to toss in your bag and are often creamier than lipsticks.

LAQA & Co. is a company that originally started producing nail polish pens and have now moved into lip products. This lip pencil is supposed to have a “smooth buttery texture [that] coats lips in stunning, glossy color.”

How To Use It:
This product is fairly idiot-proof, in that you simply swipe on the color, smack your lips together and go!

(Wolfman, Lambchop)

(Lambchop on lips)

CC Rating: A

The LAQA & Co. Lip Pencils deliver on pretty much all promises: they’re smooth and glossy and deposit a huge amount of color! The only place they fell slightly short on the “buttery” texture; I found these to tug a bit when I applied them. However, this isn’t a huge inconvenience. The shade range is also pretty comprehensive considering the small number of colors. They’ve got all your standards, and they are all extremely easy to wear. Wolfman is a lovely, baby pink, and Lambchop is the perfect, everyday blue-based pink!

I love the twist-up style tube these come in. Sharpening any pencil product, especially chubby ones, is a huge pain that I would rather avoid. I’ve actually had such difficulty with sharpening lip pencils in the past, that I’ve simply thrown them out after they become too dull to use. With the twist-up function, I can get every last bit of product out!

If you like the look of these LAQA & Co. Lip Pencils, you can pick them up at Anthroplogie for $20 a piece.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

We all love multi-taskers, right? Right. That’s why when Amika’s Cynthia Rowley Ceramic Styler came to my door, I knew it was a winner. First of all, it’s basically a flat iron. But there’s a catch: it has rounded plates and curved edges so it also acts like a curling iron! What do you know? It’s a two-in-one product!

Regular flat irons tend to have more square edges so if you try to curl your hair with it, you get some nasty creases. With this hot tool, you get nice curls or waves depending on how you use it and you can straighten your hair too. Check out how below!

On my face: Painted Earth Pore Perfecting Primer, MAC Studiofix powder, NARS Multiple in Orgasm, random black eyeliner, Maybelline One on One Mascara

On my nails: OPI Bubble Bath

In my hair: Victoria’s Secret So Sexy De-Tangler, Hana Shine Shield

[Lead image via We Heart It]

What It Is:

Bite Beauty Lip Rouge in Geranium and Nectarine

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Multi-purpose products always intrigue me. Even though I have hoards of makeup, including more lip color and blush than I could possibly ever use, I couldn’t wait to test out this combo lip/cheek product from Bite. Bite Beauty also packs their lip products with “resveratrol, which fights free radicals with potent long-term anti-aging benefits,” and these are no exception.

Bite Beauty says we should expect “a multitasking lip color and blush, rich with build-able layers of color and a satin texture.” I’m a bit hesitant about the texture working on both my lips and cheeks, but I have used cream blushes as lipsticks before, so this may just work!

How To Use It:
To apply this as a lip color, swirl your finger or a lip brush in the product and apply as usual. I found both of these colors to be quite light, yet pigmented on my dark lips. For a blush, I’d recommend a stippling brush; this distributes color evenly and allows you to build it up, instead of buffing it out if you apply too much the first time around.

(Nectarine, Geranium)

(Geranium)

CC Rating: B+

The Bite Beauty Lip Rouges are an interesting product that I’m happy to have tried out. The texture is very similar to that of a firmer cream blush; I’d say a notch or two firmer than Illamasqua’s counterpart. Both of the shades I tested out were extremely light, but quite pigmented. Unfortunately, the light colors highlighted any dry patches on my lips and required me to exfoliate very carefully before wearing either shade. As I mentioned, both Geranium and Nectarine were very light, pale colors, and I probably wouldn’t wear either as a lip color, unless I was quite tan. Neither agree with my pale, cool skin, but girls who are fans of baby pink and nude lips would love them!

However, all is not lost with this product. As blushes, they are wonderful! I love the soft flush that both of these shades give me. Nectarine is a gorgeous peach on me and doesn’t overwhelm my pale skin, which is often a problem with orange-toned shades. Geranium brightens my complexion and adds a light pink glow.

I would highly recommend these as a cream blush, especially these 2 shades to fair ladies. As a lip color, if you like very pale shades, you’ll be pleased with the opacity of these. At $22 for 0.11 oz, they are fairly priced.  You can scoop them up at Sephora!

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

Time for review! I’m sure you’re doing plenty of reviews in your classes, as am I hence my absence. It’s about that time again, final exams are coming and we need to brush up on how to take care of ourselves. Mine are this week, and I’m graduating which makes this week all the more stressful. While some of you have a few weeks until finals, it goes by extraordinarily fast and they’ll be here before you know it. It’s a stressful time, but there are some things you can do to make sure you don’t look like a complete zombie during finals. I don’t blame you if you don’t feel like washing your face after late-nighting it at the library, but you really don’t want to skimp on skincare if anything.

Here are some quick tips for exam survival makeup!

On my face: Painted Earth Pore Perfecting Primer, MAC Studiofix powder, Mary Kay Lash Love mascara, LUSH It Started With A Kiss lip tint

On my nails: Ulta Encore Pink and Sephora by OPI Only Gold For Me

Got something you want me to cover? Post it in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow us on YouTube and check out my other videos right here! And for more beauty related tips, check out my website and follow me on Twitter!

What It Is: theBalm Girls Lipstick in Mia Moore and Ima Goodkisser

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

I love a good lipstick and will never turn the chance to try a new one, especially from a brand I adore!

theBalm is a great brand and I always appreciate their quirky approach. These lipsticks are modeled after a James Bond theme and are named accordingly. The tube design is even supposed to mimic a sleek bullet! theBalm says “These double agents provide your pucker with amazing pigment and rich conditioners”, which is slightly vague, but let’s see how they go!

How To Use It:

Ima Goodkisser (the coral shade) is easy to apply straight from the tube, but I definitely needed a lip brush for Mia Moore (the red shade). These are very pigmented and thick and may drag a bit when applying, but other than that, they apply like normal lipsticks!

(Ima Goodkisser, Mia Moore)

CC Rating: B+

theBalm Girls Lipstick are hyper-pigmented; seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such opaque lipsticks. They don’t include this as part of the product’s claims, but they really should highlight this awesome feature! They also feature a light, minty scent that I find refreshing. As for wear-time, Mia Moore stayed put for a good 5-6 hours, while Ima Goodkisser faded after 3-4. I’m also notorious for eating and drinking throughout the day and noticed that Mia Moore was able to make it through a tea or light snack with relatively little fading.

I liked the formula, I really did, but I don’t think I can say that I love it. At a $17 price point, that’s more than MAC and almost as much as MUFE’s Rouge Artist ranges, however theBalm’s lippie has considerably more product (0.14 oz to MAC’s 0.1 and MUFE’s 0.12). I just didn’t see anything particularly “stand out” about these; they are nice products but didn’t blow me away. In fact, I found Mia Moore to be slightly drying and requiring a balm mid-way through the day. I would almost rather rate these two shades separately and extrapolate that the lighter shades are your best bet with this range.

If you’re intrigued and love the clever James Bond theme, these lipsticks are available for $17 on theBalm’s website.

[Need some new makeup but not sure what to buy? Check out Alex's other beauty reviews here.]

Time for a review! Finals are coming up after all, and you know what that means right? There are some awesome parties that you should take a study break for! And where there are parties, there is a need for good makeup. That’s a law of beauty. Cat eyes are my go-to look for eye makeup, and they’re easier to do than you think!

You can rock a cat eye during the day or at night. You can wear it alone or paired with eye shadow. It’s versitile and perfect for when you want to add a little flare to your look. This video is a favorite of yours and mine, so go ahead and brush up on those cat eye skills!

Got something you want me to cover? Post it in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow us on YouTube and check out my other videos right here! And for more beauty related tips, check out my website and follow me on Twitter!