Tutorial: How to Slim Your Nose in a Few Minutes

One of my favorite tricks that is super easy and makes a HUGE difference is contouring my nose.  Not that everyone out there needs to create a slimmer schnoz, but if you have a nose that is on the larger and/or wider side, this is a great trick to know.  With makeup, you can slim your nose in just a couple of steps.  All you need is a matte bronzer or contouring powder (nothing shimmery or sparkly), a eyeshadow brush, and a blending brush.  Some people prefer to use a concealer or foundation (a couple shades darker than their skin color) to contour, but for day-to-day makeup, the steps below are easier.

1.  After applying your typical complexion makeup (moisturizer, concealer, foundation, etc), swirl the tip of your flat eyeshadow brush into your bronzer or contouring powder.  Starting at the upper side of the bridge of your nose (under the head of your eyebrow), lightly trace a line going all the way down to the nostril.  Repeat on the other side of your nose.

2.  After you have drawn the lines on both sides of the nose, draw a line horizontally from one nostril  through the tip of your nose, to the other nostril.

3.  Using your blending brush, blend along the bronzer/contour lines you drew to "fade" them into your skin.

And there you have it, a slimmer nose in no time!  Below you can compare the difference this makes. I am sorry that I do not have photos from the same day, but you get the point:)

No contouring

Contoured nose:)

Product Review: Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow

If you have read my previous blog posts, you probably are aware of my eyebrow obsession.  I am constantly on the lookout for products that make my routine easier, but also produce a nice, groomed look.  If you are in the market for a new brow product (or just want to try something new!), I have a winner for you!
Anastasia Beverly Hills line specializes in brow grooming products (think brow pencils, liners, gels, stencils, etc), but their newest one is pretty amazing.  DipBrow is a brow pomade that comes in a pot, which you apply with an angled brush.  It comes in a variety of shades, is waterproof, and can be used alone or with other products.  DipBrow provides light control and shading, which is great if your  brows are a bit sparse or light.  It has a nice, powdery finish that does not appear heavy or fake.
I used the DipBrow pomade (in Blonde) this morning for the first time, and I am very impressed with its wear and longevity.  I did not use any other brow products, aside from my angled and spoolie brushes, and my brows are lookin' good! At $18 it is not exactly inexpensive, but it works well and has the potential to cut out other products that you may use in your brow arsenal.  Worth it!

A little DipBrow pot, so you can a feel for the size.

Brow drawn on my hand using the DipBrow in Blonde and an angled brush.

Me wearing Dipbrow!

Tutorial: Purple Lipstick Evening Look

First off, just wanted to apologize for the lack of posts.  I am busy preparing for wedding season and learning how to style hair as well (undos and whatnot).  I don't mean to neglect my blog, especially since it is still pretty new!  

Here is a tutorial for a relatively simple look that works well for night time, and the purple lipstick is a little bit unexpected compared to a red or pink.

1.  Prep skin with moisturizer of your choice. If you live in a cold climate (or have dry skin), the more moisture the better!  I like to blend Mario Badescu's AHA and Ceramide Moisturizer with some BareMinerals Tinted Moisturizer.

2.  Conceal dark under eye circles and any redness (acne, rosacea, etc) with concealer of your choice. This step ensures an even skin tone that will not compete with the lipstick shade.  I like Nars Creamy Radiant Concealer for the under eye area and Bobbi Brown Touch Up Stick for the rest of my spots.

3.  Apply foundation (if you want or feel you need it), like BareMinerals Original Foundation with a big brush.  If you prefer liquid foundation, I also suggest using a stippling brush or Beauty Blender sponge for flawless coverage.

4.  Apply bronzer to hairline, down the bridge of your nose, cheekbones and jawline. Then apply a light peachy pink blush.  I routinely use Nars Laguna Bronzer and Orgasm Blush.

5.  Fill in your brows!  If you want to know how, watch my video tutorial:)

6.  Prime eyelids with your favorite primer to ensure long-lasting eye makeup.  As you may have read previously, I LOVE Urban Decay's Original Priming Potion.

7.  Apply waterproof black eyeliner on upper and lower waterlines, smudging into the base of the lashes.  This does not need to look perfect, since it will be blended for the finished look.  I love Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Zero.

8.  Using a pencil blending brush dipped in a cool-toned taupe eyeshadow, blend and smudge the eyeliner so the line looks diffused and soft.  Blend from the lash line up toward the lid.  You can add more liner to the waterline if you prefer.  I used Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette for the eyeshadow (I believe I used "Pistol")

9.  Swirl on a lighter eyeshadow ("Verve" is the shadow I used) onto the lid using an eyeshadow blending brush (no need to use a shader brush).  Then with the same shade of eyeshadow used to blend the liner, apply color to the crease of the eye with the same blending brush.  Blend until everything looks as seamless as possible.

10.  Curl lashes and apply mascara of your choice.  I think I used L'Oreal Voluminous here.

11.  Line lips with a neutral lipliner, then apply purple lipstick straight from the tube  (I used my favorite MAC Heroine lipstick).  Blot lips with a tissue and you are good to go:)

Please let me know how you like this tutorial and / or if there is anything you would like to hear more about!

How are you liking the blog thus far?

Hello my favorite readers, I wanted to point out that I added a little survey for you guys on the upper right side of the blog.  I am trying to get a feel for how you like the content so far and what you like to see most.  Please participate if you can, it should take about 10 seconds:)

Also, I had an amazing photo shoot with one of my favorite photographers, @Michael Woodward, this weekend.  This is just one of the photos (of the gorgeous Theresa Grant)- I hope you like it!  I loved the way the makeup turned out, so just thought I would share.