5 Makeup Rules To Totally Ignore

1. Bronzers should be shimmery-  This was true in the 90's.  Now, not so much.  There is definitely a use for shimmery bronzers; they look great in the summer, they help boost your tan and they can draw eyes to the parts of your body you want to emphasize.  However, nowadays, matte is the new shimmer.  It's all about contouring and highlighting.  Using a shimmer to contour is disastrous to say the least.  You should look for a matte bronzer, 2 shades darker than your natural skin tone and use that to create a shadow to contour your skin and play down/up your features.

2. Red or dark lips are only for women with full, thick lips-  I used to take this rule as gospel.  You wouldn’t find a dark or red lipstick anywhere in my collection.  Then, I was introduced to Mac’s Ruby Woo.  At first I thought no way, this color is gorgeous but it will look weird on me…then I tried it.  I was instantly in love.   For weeks I wouldn’t go out without it in tow.  Then I started to branch out to darker berry colors, even venturing to go near colors that border on black.  The trick to really pulling off any of these looks is to make your lips look fuller.  Use lip liner to really accentuate the lips, and apply gloss in the center of your lips and shimmer right above them to really give that extra oomph.  Fellow thin-lipped girls do NOT be afraid to go bold in your lip colors!


                                        

3. Never wear dark eyeshadow during the day-  For certain jobs you may want to stick to this rule but overall, this is rapidly changing.  There are so many variations to the traditional "smokey eye" or "dark eyeshadow" look that it's easy to make it work during the day.  The key is to use lighter colors during the day, keep the crease simple and not too dark, and blend a lot!  Also, you can use a lighter color in the corners of your eyes to add some simplicity the look and a pop of lighter color.

                                           

4. Blue eyeshadow is so yesterday- Wrong, wrong, wrong.  Blue eyeshadow is everywhere.  You can play it up, play it down, have fun with it!  There are so many shades and hues it's not difficult to pick one that will flatter you without looking like you just walked out of an 80's party!  I love using blue eye shadow to create a smokey eye as it's such a subtle change from the traditional look and it looks great on every eye color!  You can also use lighter blues on your lids.  There are so many ways to make this work without looking like you’re trying to bring retro back.  The key to any look is confidence.  Wear a color you love and just rock it!


                                           

5.  Never do a bold eye with a dark lip-  This is easy to pull off if you do it right.  Use complimentary shades and don’t use anything too dark on the eyes.  You can make your eyes look bold using more neutral or muted colors and wear a bright lip with it.  If you’re really daring you can do a VERY blended smokey eye (although I’d probably steer clear of using black colors) with a bold lip.  This rule is so easy to break, if you think you look good so will others!

                                    

Makeup rules are so yesterday.  Now it’s all about experimenting and playing around with everything from bright colors to dark shades to everything in between.  Gone are the days of having to fit into a neat little box and follow a specific set of rules when applying makeup.  Just have fun with it!  Try something new, use a daring color, try a look you’d never dream of.  The key to pulling off any look no matter if it’s makeup, clothes, hair, you name it is confidence.  If you act like you’re the hottest girl in the room, people will believe you.  So go ahead and break some rules!

xo

Kelly

8 Tricks You Should Know For Concealer

So concealer is one of the first products I think most girls start using.  As we enter into our teen years and that glorious phase of acne, concealer is usually the first product girls will reach to in an attempt to cover them up.  While concealer is a pretty basic product, there are some tips that you should know when applying!

1.)  Concealer can double as an eyeshadow primer:  If you can't afford, or just don't want to shell out extra money for a eyelid primer, concealer can do the trick just as nicely.  Just dab a little on your eye and use your finger to smooth it out and voila! instant primer.

2.)  Liquid foundation can be used in place of concealer: We've all had that moment where you reach for your concealer only to realize that you've used it all up.  The key to this is be careful not to use a foundation that's too dark or it will only highlight the area you're trying to cover up.  Apply a dab of the foundation, allow it a minute or so to set and thicken and then blend it.

3.) Apply concealer in the shape of a 'V' under your eye: I used to apply my concealer as a messy glob under my eye and then blend in.  Then I learned the trick that if you apply it in the shape of a 'V' it actually lifts the the face and draws focus upward.  This is far more flattering than applying in a circle shape or a messy glob.  Trust me.

4.) Always use your ring finger to blend your concealer: Your ring finger is your weakest finger and therefore will give you the lightest touch when you blend.  It will also allow you more control and ensure you don't have to continually reapply to get the right amount of coverage.

5.) Apply concealer over your lips before applying red lipstick:  This will create a blank canvas for the red to go on and keep the lipstick in place much longer than just applying it straight to your lips.  You can also apply a translucent powder over a tissue after you've applied the lipstick as double protection for keeping it in place.

6.) Apply a line of concealer to sharpen the edges of any eyeshadow look or fix any mistakes:  Sometimes when you're apply a crease color it can get really messy.  Other times you just want a really sharp look.  Either way once you've finished applying the eyeshadow you can draw a line from the corner of your eye up to your brow and lightly blend it in with your ring finger.

7.)  Always apply your eyeshadow first:  This reason for this is simple.  Eyeshadow has a tendency to fall (especially dark colors) as you're applying it.  If you had applied your concealer first the eyeshadow would stick to the concealer and you'd have to start all over.  This way you can easily brush off any excess powder and then apply your concealer afterwards.

8.) To cover a blemish, first use green concealer:  Green balances out the redness of a spot so apply green concealer directly on the blemish, using your ring finger to blend out the edges.  Then, after your green concealer has set, lightly dab (using your ring finger again) on your regular concealer to cover the green.  Be really careful in applying as less is always more with colors.

These are just a few of the tricks out there, there are hundreds!  What are some of your favorites?

xo


Kelly

Favorite Mac Eyeshadows

Mac Cosmetics is my absolute favorite line!  I think that the majority of their products are just amazing and the quality is always amazing and I'm never disappointed.  Out of all of their products I'm most loyal to their eye shadows.  I've compiled a list here of my favorites, trying to include both some neutrals, as well as some of their brighter colors.

Check out my video to see my thoughts on my favorite colors here:

Neutrals:

1.) Mylar-  It's a simple, matte white color that's great for highlighting your brow
  
2.) Phloof-  This is a super shimmery white color that's great for highlighting and adding a pop of shimmer

3.) Naked Lunch- This is my favorite color in the whole wide world!  It's a beautiful nude, champagne color that's a great base, it makes your eyes pop without being too colorful or out-there

4.) Kid- This is a great transition color.  It's a soft brownish color that's very neutral and great for transitioning shades in your crease
5.) Quarry- This is a beautiful light purple/grey color that goes on great in the crease to add some definition

6.) Espresso- This is a dark brown color that's great for adding dimension and drama to your crease


Fun Colors-

7.) Sketch- This is an AWESOME purple, shimmery color that goes great in your crease and adds depth

8.) Idol Eyes- This is a shimmery, light purple color that's fun for doing a purple smokey eye, or adding a pop of color to any look

9.) Scene- This is a grey color that's great for both smokey eyes, as well as using in the crease to add some drama

10.) Carbon- This is a simple black matte color.  Great for smokey eyes, great for any look you want a really dark black with

11.) Black Tied- This is similar to Carbon but has some blueish, silver shimmer to it, so it's more frosted than carbon

12.) Greensmoke- This is a dark green color with hints of gold that is fun for doing a different smokey eye than the traditional blacks

xo

Kelly

Small Eyes? Me Too....

Hey!

So if you're anything like me you watch these tutorials of girls with these beautiful big eyes then you go to do it on yourself and it looks nothing like the video.  The good news is there's hope for us small-eyed girls out there!  There are certain tips and techniques you can use that will help allow you to use the looks you see on videos, but without making your eyes look tiny.

The first thing that's most important, is the outer corner.  In most videos they show you that you should a darker crease color to the outer v of your eye, as well as to the outer corner.  If you have small eyes though, this is only going to exacerbate the problem. The key that I show in my video, is to apply just outside of the corner.

Another trick, is to apply the crease color slightly above your crease.  This will give the illusion of a larger lid, which of course makes your eye look bigger.

Check out my video below for more tips and tricks, and PLEASE subscribe to my youtube channel and follow me on here :)

xo

Kelly

Hey Ya'll!

So recently I've become somewhat obsessed with all things beauty related.  Makeup, tutorials, videos, blogs products, you name it.  I've spent way too much money and time reading about and trying new products and techniques so I thought I'd give back by sharing with you what I've learned!  I'll try to post new stuff every week and I'd love if you'd share your own thoughts and questions!  So thanks for stopping by and hopefully I'll be able to share some tricks with ya!

xo Kelly