My top picks for BEST NUDE lip liners

A nude lip liner is and should be a staple in every woman's make-up wardrobe from the make-up impaired to the make-up Divas every woman needs a great nude lip liner.
 So why a nude liner? A nude liner is not only for nude lipsticks you can use them with just about every color including red! The purpose of a nude liner is to define your natural lip line and to prevent fraying lipstick (no one wants to see lipstick fading into the lines above your lips!)
You may be asking... How do I pick a nude lip liner? and the answer is simple..Pick a liner that matches your own natural lip color or a shade darker but NOT lighter unless your going for a Haute couture almost white lip!
 Below are a few swatches. They may vary from monitor to monitor so if you're not sure stop by your local make-up counter to try it on.

Here are a few of my top picks varying from lightest to darkest.

1.Natural Mauve from Lancome- This works great on lips with no color or very pale lips. Perfect for a pinky nude.
 2. Oak from Mac- This is the same level of deepness as Natural Mauve but has a warmer undertone.Perfect for a beige nude.

 3. Beige Neutre #42 from Guerlain- This is what a nude should be. It's perfectly balanced with warm and cool undertones. This is a medium nude.

 4. 710 from Shu Uemura- This is a med deep nude with a slight plum or cool tone.
 5. Chestnut from Laura Mercier- This is a deep nude great for med to dark lips. It has a bit of a chocolaty plum tone.

Make-up preview tips for Brides

Getting married is suppose to be the most exciting time of your life and finding a Make-up artist you just mesh with is icing on the cake. Here are a few tips to make the best of your make-up preview.


1. Talk to your artist about your expectations for the day of your wedding.
Do you expect your artist to stay with you through the ceremony and through pictures? or do you need her to stay through the entire wedding for touch ups. Some artists book more than one client in a day so knowing this ahead of time will ensure there are no surprises.
  
2. Let your artist know ahead of time of any allergies or reactions to certain products.
  This is one thing most clients don't think to let their make-up artist know until they are already there and knowing this in advance means your artist can leave those products out instead of bring them with them.

3. Bring along pictures of make-up looks you like.
 The way an artist speaks about make-up can sound like a foreign language to some so bringing along a picture helps. Just remember to find a picture of someone with similar skintone, hair color and eye color. If you choose a look on someone who looks completely different than you. You can bet the make-up will look completely different as well.


 4. Make sure to tell your artist what you DON'T want.
 This is just as important as knowing what you DO want and will prevent having to re-do a make-up look. For example an artist may ALWAYS use black eyeliner but you may hate black eyeliner. Telling your artist in advance will ensure there won't have to be a re-do.

 5. Have a favorite product? Bring it along.
 Most make-up artists have no problem using your favorite product as long as it works for the look you want.

 6. Wear white or off white.
Wearing the color of your dress will give you a better idea of what your make-up will look like with your dress on.

7. Make your appointment for the same time of day you'll be getting married.
 Your make-up will look different in daylight compared to dusk so having your preview done at the same time of day will give you a better idea of what your make-up will look like on the day of your wedding.


8. Remember it's about what you like NOT what your whole family likes.
 Sometimes bringing along Aunt may, Grandma and Mom can be sabatoge. They may all have different opinions on what a bride should look like and that in turn could sabatoge your appointment. Instead have someone there who has the same taste as you and who will support your opinions. Your appointment should be fun and enjoyable.
  
9. Keep your budget reasonable for your hair and make-up artist.
 If you expect to look like a Mercedes expect to pay for a Mercedes. If you want the best you'll have to pay for it. Remember this when budgeting for hair and make-up as these are the two most important pieces of the puzzle next to the dress. If you go in knowing this you won't be surprised when your artist tells you how much it's going to be.

 10. Take pictures.
Take a few pictures to remind yourself later on of what you'll look like. It also helps to document your journey to becoming the most beautiful bride ever!

Mac Concealer dupe

On my search for a lightweight, medium coverage concealer I have found the Mac select Moisture cover Dupe at the drugstore.

L'Oreal makes a great concealer called True Match Blendable concealer and I have to say that these feel and look exactly the same.

Here are the similarities...
1. They are great for around the eye area because they don't settle in the lines
2. They are great for minor spot coverage for the face.
3. They both can even be used as foundation in a pinch.
 4. They are both super blendable.


The main difference between them is the color range and price.

I actually prefer the colors to the L'Oreal concealer (9 colors) but, Mac does have a larger range of color. (15 colors). The Mac concealer is $16.50 and the L'Oreal concealer is about $8.00. So if you are a die hard Mac fan but wanna save a few bucks try the L'Oreal true match concealer. I bought them for my kit on a buy 1 get 1 half off sale so that's like saving 25 % what a deal!

N.Y.C. Lipstick Review

I've been wearing these N.Y.C. Ultra wear lipsticks for a couple of weeks now and I have to say I've grown very fond of them. I purchased them at my local Rite Aide store for $1.99 (WHAT?!) ya, you heard me right.
 This is a great lipstick for such an amazing price. They really do last quite a while and have a beautiful shimmer so you almost don't have to wear a lipgloss.
 I purchased 6 colors which, if you do the math that's just about the price of 1 M.a.c. lipstick! I swatched them below to show you the color range and metallic shimmer.

  There are even more colors than what I purchased so I'm sure you'd be able to find at least 1 lipstick you like. The only thing I didn't like about them was the way they are packaged. Most lipsticks wind down into their case. These do not. They wind up but not down so you have to be careful about the way you place the cap back on. Other than that these are a winner for all these reasons.......
  Long wearing
 High shimmer
 Good pigment
 Fragrance free
 Inexpensive

Makeup removal cloths review

Okay, I'm the first to admit that I have on occasion slept in my makeup....YUCK! I know but, that's what happens when your chasing after 3 kids all day and fall into bed at 12:00am. Not to fear though, the answer to my problems of exhausted mommy syndrome is found in a pretty blue package called NOXZEMA makeup removal cloths. I have tried many cleansing cloths from Mac which WAS my favorite but left my skin feeling greasy to drugstore brands which never did a great job at removing waterproof makeup. I love these because I can sit down on the couch and watch Rachel Zoe and get a great scrub down all at the same time.

 I have to say these are a thumbs up in my book. Not only do they remove ALL of my makeup but it has that wonderful Eucalyptus scent and slight tingle that just makes your skin feel clean but not stripped.You don't even need to wash your skin after using these. You can put your night treatment on and hit the hay. It is safe to use around the eyes but, if you have extremely sensitive eyes or skin these may not be for you.

The only downside to this product for me was that it only comes in a package of 25 for about $3-$5 depending on where you purchase them. Since I use these everyday I need more than one pack for a month. Other than that these are a permanent part of my skincare routine and Noxzema if your listening PLEASE make a larger size!

Green eyeshadow tutorial

GREEN EYESHADOW!? How do I wear that? That's what some women say when they see a green eyeshadow but don't be afraid. I'm going to show you how to wear that shocking green eyeshadow.
 I chose 2 eye palettes from Wet n Wild and I have to say not only are they inexpensive but the pigment is amazing! I bought them on a buy 1 get 1 free deal so they came out to about $2.50 each!

 

To start this look I chose the light peach matte shadow and the medium peach matte shadow from the GREED set. I did a wash of color from the base of my lashes to under my brow bone with the lightest color with my #10 Kolinsky brush from Shu Uemura. Next, I added the medium matte peach shadow to the lid and went back and added more of the first color to the inside corner of the lid.

 

 

Next I took the matte green eyeshadow from the GREED

 Palette and formed a v shape on the outer corner of my eyelid shown below.

  

 Next I used my #217 blending brush from Mac to pick up a little of the matte navy and matte green shadow together and blended the v shape color out. I also lined my eyes using the 1/8 angle shader from Simply Simmons with the matte navy eyeshadow all the way around.

 

 The final step was to line my eyes with a brown mineral shadow from Micabella using the same Angel shader brush then, a couple of coats of mascara and voila! A not so shocking green eyeshadow look.This look could be punched up a bit for nightime by using the shimmery shadows which are great for picking up light in a dark environment and by adding a bit more of the navy to the crease for even more definition. 

This color works great with green eyes, hazel eyes and brown eyes.

 

 I hope you enjoyed this tutorial as much as I loved making it for you. Please let me know if you have any special tutorial requests. If I get enough requests for a same look I will choose that one as my next tutorial.

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Gray nail polish review

Searching for the perfect nail color is always fun to do but finding that perfect color is worth the time it takes.
 I had been looking for a gray nail color that was not quite black but almost there. This one by Finger paints  fits the bill! It's called "Meet me at the Met". It's a dark gray with a slight shimmer. I would've preferred a flat nail polish but the shimmer almost makes it more feminine.
 I was so excited to try it out that I forgot to put on a base coat and of course the nail color chipped off within a couple of days so with this brand you definitely need a base coat but, all in all I give it a thumbs up for color.
The price is comparable to drugstore brands coming in around $5-$6 and is sold exclusively at Sally Beauty supply or online at www.fingerpaints.com 

Make-up Brushes that won't break your budget

Using the right tool to get the make-up effect you want is critical but, you don't have to spend a fortune on a great brush. Don't get me wrong I love my collection of designer brushes but, when you're a  make-up artist you need a couple of each brush you have and that can really add up. So I've been on the hunt for great brushes at a great price and I'm sharing my finds with you.
 The following brushes are actually ART brushes purchased from Michael's Art's and Craft Store for $2.99 each! That's a steal!!!

 This is how I used them.... First up was the 1/8 Angle shader from Simply Simmons. It gave a very thin precise line. I used it with a cream eyeliner in black from wet n' wild. This brush may be taking the place of my favorite Bobbie Brown Ultra fine eyeliner brush.

 Next, was the #8 Chisel blender from Simply Simmons. I used this to line my lower lash line and waterline with Bon Bon from Bare Minerals. This would also make a great line on the top lash line as well.

 and Finally, I added a little shimmery nude shadow from Bare Minerals in Nude Beach with the #10 Filbert brush from Simply Simmons. I used the shadow wet to get a more intense color. This brush is great for Mac pigments or any loose pigment shadows and also great for concealer. I actually bought two of these because I have similar ones and always need a few of these.

 I am very excited about these brushes! Their handles are very similar to the Bobbie Brown handle. They're tapered nicely and comfortable to hold. They say they are SHORT handles but that's compared to regular art brushes which are VERY long. All in all I HIGHLY recommend these to everyone!