Usually I hate when things happen ahead of season, like when Halloween stuff starts popping up in August, or when Christmas decorations are everywhere in September.  In general it is just plain wrong.  I don’t need a blow up outdoor Santa snow globe before Halloween has even passed.  Actually, I don’t need one of those at all.  Ever.

However, there’s one thing that I don’t mind arriving a wee bit early, and that’s next season’s makeup trends (or any fashion for that matter); it’s never too early to look into/play around with the new fall colors.

Now’s the time to get your makeup bag ready for fall and I’m here to help. You should be glad I’m not actually there with you, because I’d be trying on every lip gloss you got and curling my eyelashes instead of really helping. But I digress. I’ll tell you what to keep, what to toss, and what to buy for Back To School season.

You don’t have to do it right now (obviously), but just keep your eye out for the colors of fall and prepare yourself to part with the makeup of the summer. Read More »

So you just spent ten minutes of your morning de-puffing your eyes with spoons fresh from your freezer, but they still look tired and small. What’s a girl to do? No fear, just use these super simple tricks to make your eyes appear bigger, brighter, and more awake!

If only everything else were so simple.

Ever look at pictures of Angelina Jolie or Megan Fox and get caught up in their sultry stares? I do! They are definitely gorgeous ladies and girl crush worthy, but most of that sexy stare down comes from their eyeliner. Yes, you know what that means: you too can channel these sex icons and land a man as fine as Brad Pitt! (Leave those Brian Austin Greens behind.)

Follow the steps in the video and you’ll have a hot look in no time! All you need is a little eyeliner and you’re good to go.

In middle school I thought the best way to apply eyeliner was heavily; preferably in black or teal.  I was terribly misguided, in the matter of eyeliner, boys, and jumpers. While I have certainly overcome most of these problems, eyeliner can still be tricky.  It can be hard to determine which eyeliner is appropriate for each occasion, and what colors are off limits.  So below is some information on different eyeliner types and what is best for your day or night.

Powder Liner – Best for: daytime use/work.  Use a soft eyeliner brush like this one from Bare Escentuals and swipe a powder liner as close to the upper and lower lash lines as you can get.   Only apply one coat so that the liner is soft. The good thing about applying a daytime powder is that you can use regular powder eye shadows, mineral makeup, or specific eyeliner colors.  Try this liner powder in Coffee Bean.

Liquid Liner – Best for: nights out.  Apply a more dramatic color to your lids and add extra color to the outer corners.  Try Urban Decay’s  liquid liner in Crash, a cool metallic purple.  Then use a smudge-stick like this one from Smashbox, to blend the corners while they are still wet.  This will make the line less harsh and more smokey.  Another option is to liquefy your favorite loose powder shadow with this liner sealer and a fine tipped brush. Read More »

Oh St. Patty’s day. The only day it’s okay to lie and say that you are a wee bit Irish and take a shot toasting the green isle.  It’s also okay (and damn well expected) to add a little green to your routine.

Yes, including your makeup.

Don’t worry – you won’t look like Kermit… or Elphaba from Wicked. There is a perfectly acceptable way to put green on your face. And that involves subtlety. Shy away from neon greens or green lipsticks; instead, layer on the green shadows, liner and mascara for a festive yet totally classy look.

Who knows? You may even continue to rock those greens all year long. Plus, no one will be able to resist a pair of sparkling green eyes.

So give green a chance with these great green products! Read More »

[Post courtesy of out friends at StyleBakery.com. For more awesome fashion, style and beauty news, check them out!]

We play with a lot of beauty products. In any given week, we’re fairly inundated with lipglosses, moisturizers, body washes and the like. But there are a few products that — no matter how many new ones come our way — we simply can’t live without. Here are the ones in our current arsenal. Read More »

I was perusing the internet for my daily dose of news when I came across this headline: “Mantyhose: Not Your Mom’s Pantyhose.”

Naturally, I was intrigued (come on – who wouldn’t be?). And the article was everything I expected: weird, uncomfortable and awkward. Sort of like a pair of pantyhose.

Apparently, men felt a little left out of the pantyhose/Spanx craze, so they decided to make it their own. Enter Mantyhose: a thicker, more durable pair of hosiery that lifts, sucks and warms its wearer.

Which is a man.

Men appreciate the new designs because they are made specifically for their bodies and their needs. And, according to one mantyhose fan, “It’s nice because they are specifically made for men, so I felt less weird about it.”

Ok, tell yourself that, buddy. You are still wearing pantyhose, and the fact that they are made for a man doesn’t make me feel any less weird about it.

I understand men wanting to have some of the luxuries that women have (like boobs, or access to a woman’s locker room), but hose? They are a product of the devil. Why hose!?

I didn’t think there was anything worse than guyliner, but, alas, someone found it.

It’s no secret that drinking takes a toll on your skin. Dehydration, blotchiness and puffiness are just a few of the wonderful effects of alcohol–a moisture zapping diuretic– on your epidermis. So what’s a girl to do when faced with a serious liquor induced skin issue? Quit drinking? I think not.While that would obviously be the most effective move, it’s not one I plan on making any time in the near future (near future including this semester and every one after that until I graduate). Luckily, the makeup gods determined long ago that girl-kind should be able to have her cake (flavored mix drink) and eat it too (um, have nice looking skin).

The following products will salvage your face be you hungover and desperate for a quick fix, prepping for bed after drinks with the girls, or planning ahead for a night of partays (you overachiever, you). Read More »

Makeup is fun. With makeup I can make myself look like anything I want. I can glam myself up, or play out a more natural look. I can turn myself into a sex kitten, or an innocent girl next door.

But it has taken years and years of trial and error to know what looks good on my face and what makes me look like Mimi from the Drew Carey Show. Looking back I’ve had some pretty disastrous makeup moments that I have comprised into my top 5 makeup regrets.

1. Sweat + black eyeliner = scary raccoon eyes. Now I love me some black eyeliner, especially when I’m putting on a cute little dress and going out to a club, but there are certain places where it’s probably not a good idea to pile on the black and, unfortunately, I’ve learned this the hard way.

One night my friends and I dressed ourselves up to go out dancing and I had put on a ton of dark eyeshadow and eyeliner. The dance floor was completely packed and after about half an hour we were all sweaty and gross. My friend and I went to the bathroom to cool down and when I looked in the mirror, I found that the makeup I had so meticulously applied was now all over my face! Seriously, it looked as if I had rubbed a huge piece of charcoal all around my eye and down my cheeks. My black eyeshadow had literally melted from me sweating and was now sitting in clumps on my eyelids. Needless to say I had to scrub it all off before anyone (besides all those people I saw pre-bathroom trip) saw my disaster of a face. Read More »

The warmth here, the days are longer, and the beach is calling our names…that can only mean one thing: summer is upon us. And with summer comes the opportunity to find new and exciting ways to look our hottest; on the beach, at our summer internship/new jobs, and on those crazy nights out. So here are the main cosmetics trends to brighten up your summer and your face.

SKIN:

Matte Foundation and Powder: Matte, natural looking skin is the way to go this summer, allowing the bright colors we’re seeing pop up the opportunity to really stand out.

EYES:

White Eyeshadows/Liners: Seen all over the Spring/Summer runways, this is a great way to brighten up your eyes, while also giving an edgy look.

Smoky Eyes: The ever-popular smoky eye is back, but this season black takes a backseat and gold, bronze and dark browns are the way to go to pull off that sultry look while adding a summertime glow.

Bright Eyeshadows/Liners: Bright purples, blues and greens are popular choices for this season, but any brightly colored pencil or liner is a great way to add a pop of color to a neutral outfit, just be sure to pick out a color that plays up your eyes. Read More »