Posts with tag makeup trends

This is the third celeb favs feature, this time all about the makeup products that make celebrities go from average Joe's to Hollywood royalty in minutes. They need a little help to look so perfect too, people. Gosh.

Did you know that most makeup tips try to work the eye into an almond shape? It's true. The shape is considered the most flattering and extremely exotic. However, the tips often don't take into consideration those with deep set, wide set, small eyes, round eyes, or heavily hooded eyes. And if you wear glasses? Puh-lease, you'll never find info for that! Except for here that is.

Over the last decade that we've been wearing makeup (yeah we had one of those dad's that forbid it until we were 16... laaaaame), we have probably tested every single mascara available at our local drugstore – no kidding. We had a great time testing over the years, particularly during a brief period of CVS employment that was strictly for the cosmetic discount. It was basically a crazed 2 month makeup rampage... ahhh the memories.

So after all of this time, we are pleased to share our findings with you.

As women, we want our mascara to be a macho man -- thick, long, long-lasting, conditioning and waterproof. Okay, maybe that was the wrong metaphor but regardless, we expect a lot out of our mascara but we might not be doing our part in meeting our partner half way.

Here are a few helpful hints to get the best show out of your favorite mascara.

Many of us gals have been the victim of expired cosmetics. Here's the scenario. After seeing pics of that smokin' gloss we used to wear in high school, we rush to our beauty closet only to open the tube to a rank stank that we don't understand. Most beauty products do not have any smell, or if they do, it is very faint. If you start noticing some product BO, it's because that favorite gloss is dying a slow, bacteria-invested death in that dark, tightly sealed tube. Once the product has peaked, it can cause some pretty gross irritations or infections if used. To avoid all of the above, follow these general toss time guidelines.

It's been abso-damn-lutely everywhere this season, the bright pink lip. It's part of the Barbie Loves MAC line but reaches apotheosis in the Proenza Pink lipstick for Lancome. The ultimate pink, highly fetishized by beauty blogs and quickly sold out (you can find it on eBay) is the color of the season even if it does look a little like something your overtanned Florida grandmother might wear. So how do you work with the pink lip? Elke over at the Beauty Newsletter has some ways to get a similar look without having lips that scream 'notice my lipstick.' The key seems to be a slow build up of color on the lips and keeping the eyes and cheeks simple. I believe though, that like the skinny jean this is not a trend that works on everyone. And, while Elke recommends limiting the eyeshadow, I'd be sorely tempted to pair this with a silver or pearl shimmering shadow. Which of course explains why I'm not a makeup artist and she is.

Finding a blush that works for your own specific skin tone is hard enough, but finding a blush that works for almost every skin tone? Why that's practically impossible. Or at least it was until I stumbled onto Clinique's Gel Blush in Black Honey.

Don't let the name fool you -- Black Honey is not that dramatic. Close to the shade of a pomegranate, the gel formula is so sheer that the bold color just translates into a healthy flush. (You know, the way you look right after you sprint to your car at 5pm on a Friday afternoon.) The only trick is to blend the gel very, very quickly with your fingertips. Unfortunately, once gel blush dries, there isn't a lot you can do to fix a mistake. But don't let that discourage you from giving it a try -- after all, compared to powder or creme blush, gels are much easier to perfect.