defined eyebrows

Eyebrows frame the eyes. It doesn't matter how gorgeous your eyes are, if your eyebrows look like bushy caterpillars, they will be the last thing anyone sees. Although it is very important to pluck or wax your brows into a flattering shape, it is also equally important to fill your brows in where needed. Over plucking can cause the brows to be sparse and in dire need of filling. Then sometimes the brow hairs do not grow the as full as we'd like, and filling is necessary.

A really great guideline on where the brow should curve along with the eye shape is from Shirley's Meek~N~Mild blog. Check the blog out for a video tutorial as well.

I recommend using the skinniest brow stick you can find. I like using Clinique's superfine liner for brows. There are a few different shades to choose from- one for dark hair, one for blondes and lighter shades, and one for red heads.

10 of the best brow pencils according to BeautyHeaven are shown below. The pencil makes all the difference. There are also powder brow colors that can be used for filling, but for the sake of this tutorial, we are focusing on using brow pencils. 

Once you've selected a brow pencil and decided on the correct shape you need for your brow, it's time to prep the brow. Be sure to have your brows done beforehand, either by yourself or a professional. I've never had my professionally done because I never let them grow out long enough to be waxed or string plucked. Any way you chose to care for your brows is good, so long as you can make the time for the upkeep. Brows tend to grow out pretty quickly. Two or three days at the most, and it's time to tend to them. 

After the above steps are done, it's time to fill the brows. 

Using a white eye pencil, draw a line around the brows in order to outline the area that needs to be filled by the brow pencil. This can also be a guideline for plucking the brows into the shape you want. 

Now that you've made the white outline, it's time for filling. This will be done with short brush strokes with the pencil. The brush strokes are better than drawing a line across the brow, because the strokes resemble actual brow hairs and they blend into the brow better. It is also easier to keep each stroke light and not too heavy. Drawing a line across the brow tends to look less natural and more heavy. 

Once the brows are filled, it's time for blending, using a brow brush. There are many out on the market. It's doesn't really matter which kind you use, but I prefer the type below. 

Blend the brows well, making sure there aren't any obviously drawn lines. 

Shaping the brows using concealer helps to highlight the brows and accent the great job that you did!

After the brows are done, and eye makeup is finished, double check each brow, doing this brow check. You can hold a pencil at the angles over your eye to check your brow shape. The brow should start at the inside corner of the nose, it should curve at the center of your eye, and should end at a 45 degree angle from the outside corner of the eye. 

And Finite! You have perfect brows!

tips for applying false eyelashes

Below are some standard steps to apply false eyelashes, but in this blog I wanted to also include some tricks and tips to make your false eyelashes look amazing and stay on longer. If you have already applied falsies a few times before, then skip the following three steps and scroll past them. 

See the difference falsies can make, and they still do not look overdone. 

Tips for applying the glue to the lashes. I find it best to apply false eyelashes after eye makeup is applied. If you are applying liquid eyeliner, then do it after the lashes have set.  Before applying glue to the lashes, stretch the lashes by pulling each end at the same time with your fingers. Simply tug gently to stretch. Do not pull too hard and break lashes off.

 Once you have stretched the lashes, they are ready to be clipped, if necessary. Clipping the lashes will be explained further down. Many times, it is not necessary to clip the lashes to fit your eye, so I will continue with explaining glue. Most eyelash glue on the market is white, but there is also the option of black glue, which I prefer. Below is a photo of using a stick to apply the glue. If you are using the white glue, you may want to use the stick to make sure the line of glue you apply doesn't get too thick. Although it will dry clear, it is still visible if the glue is too thick. 

 This is what the black eyelash glue looks like before it dries.

 Another step that is not mentioned in standard application steps is clipping your lashes to fit your eye shape. If the lashes are too long,  it will be difficult to make them stay on, and it will also look too fake and distracting. The way to cut is to hold the lashes up to your natural lash line and make the false eyelashes meet the inside and outside corners of your eye. Hold that spot with your finger, take them away from your eye, and clip the lashes. Then compare the both of your false lashes to make sure they are even with each other before applying. If you over cut, don't fret; you can always go back and add more of the lashes you clipped off. 

Once, you have stretched, clipped, and selected the right glue. Now is time for application. You want to apply the glue to the false eyelash about 3 minutes before you apply it to your eye. Let the  glue sit on the falsie, holding both ends, gently tug at the ends allowing the glue to touch every lash. Then, after the glue starts to harden (it will turn a more clear color) after approximately 1 minute, it's time to line the already clipped falsie up to your natural lashline starting from the outside corner. Make sure you are lining up the right falsie to the right eye. Left falsie to left eye. You can tell which is which by the length of the lashes (The lashes get longer towards the outside corner of the eye. Hold each falsie on for about 2 minutes until the glue becomes completely transparent (or black if you choose black glue). The lashes should be firmly in place, even with gentle tugging. If not, then apply a little more glue, and try again.

Once the falsies are in place, touch up eyeshadow, and add liquid liner if desired. Enjoy your new look. 

bronzing it up

Bronze season is in, but UV damage is out! The best way to give your skin that skin kissed look this season is with the perfect bronzing powder brushed on the contours of your cheekbones and temples. Bronzing can also be applied all over the face, neck, decolletage, and body. This tutorial shows how to use bronzer to contour the face.

Highlighting can be done with a light eyeshadow, either a white or bone color. Shimmer shadow is fine too, but not recommended in areas where fine lines or wrinkles are present. The contour for the sake of this tutorial is bronzer as well as a little blush, if desired. The best brush I've found for applying bronzer is the one pictured below. It is available in different brands. The white bristles at the top of the brush help blend the bronzer evenly across the skin.

Below is a more detailed template for where to place bronzer, blush, and highlighter.

For an all over bronze look, simply lightly apply the bronzer in circular motions all over the areas you want covered. Be careful not to get the bronzer on clothes, and be careful not to apply too much at one time. Remember, BLEND is your FRIEND! Keep using the brush to make swirl motions until the bronzer is the right depth for you. One or two shades darker than your skin tone is best; otherwise, you run the risk of looking fake.

making your eyes pop this spring

A tried and true way to make your eyes appear bigger in a light, spring-y fashion is to use white eyeliner to line your lower lid. The next visual is an application of white eyeliner to create a more natural look.

White eyeliner can be also be applied more heavily for a dramatic night out. In the visual below, the white eyeliner is applied to the lower lid, as well as the bottom lash line and the inner crease of the eye. 

Spring nail trends for 2013

Some of the best nail trends this Spring are thankfully easy to recreate at home. Here is a video tutorial on how to do one of this season's top nail trends: the half moon in white. Click the photo above to see the video tutorial. 

Two more hot trends this spring is Aztec designs in spring shades and color blocking and geometric shapes with shades in the same color family. The Aztec designs could be recreated using polish pencils for the triangle outlines. I really love all the looks for this Spring. 

I love the look below. The shapes are so simple yet interesting enough to be somewhat of a challenge to do. I'm going to try this look soon, and possibly create a tutorial on it.

A simple trick for plump, sexy lips

Full lips are sexy. There is no doubt about it. If your lips are a little on the thin side, or you just want to enhance their plumpness, here is a simple trick to try using concealer. 

First, line your lips with your choice of lip pencil. I prefer wooden lip pencils because once sharpened, the point is defined and the lips are neatly lined. If you want your lipstick or gloss to last longer, fill the rest of your lips in with the liner. 

Secondly dab a touch of concealer on your pointer finger and press between another finger. Then dab the concealer on the angel's bow of your top lip and the center of your bottom lip. 

 

Finish off the look with a little gloss or lipstick, making sure to blend well in the center of the lips. 

springtime smokey eyes

Spring is here, and it's time for to bring out the neutrals to compliment those light spring colors. The perfect compliment to a light and natural look that still screams sultry is the springtime smokey eye. Using a neutral palette of eyeshadows the look is perfect for spring. I found an excellent tutorial from Dana Fox on achieving this look, and her simple steps are below.

via (Dana Fox)