Classic Lips

Where have I been?!  It seems like forever since my last post.  Sorry!  I've had a very busy schedule these last few weeks.

So I don't want to keep you waiting any longer.  Today I want to share with you the portion of my lipstick collection that I would call "classic."  To me, a classic lip is anything within the red family.  This includes pinks, corals, and oranges.  Classic colors like these are user friendly.  You just need to find the right tones to flatter your complexion.

Even red lipstick isn't just red lipstick.  Reds can have a variety of hues and undertones:  yellow, pink, blue, etc.  Which is why I have more than one red lipstick in my collection.  Sometimes I want a warmer red to set off golden eye shadow.  Or a cool red to stand out against a neutral eye look.  Whatever your need,  there is a red lipstick for every occasion. 

Classic lips are timeless.  They know no season.  Pink lips are just as pretty in spring time as they are in the dead of winter.  I think orange lips are perfect in the summer, but they are fitting to the colors of autumn as well.  And red...red goes with everything!

So here's some swatches to get us started.  These are what I would consider to be classic reds:

Riot and Nose For Style are definitely more muted reds.  Riot is described as "Marsala" which was Pantone's Color of the Year for 2015.  It's liquid to matte. Nose For Style is part of M.A.C's Haute Dogs collection and is limited edition.  It's a Mineralize Rich lipstick...so it has quite a bit of sheen and feels great on the lips.  Ruby Woo is probably my favorite red lipstick.  It's a matte lipstick, but it's much more comfortable than a liquid matte.  Mrs. Mia Wallace is from Urban Decay's Pulp Fiction collection.  This is a very comfortable lipstick, and it has a beautiful shine.  Redrum is a great red!  His formula is one of my favorites when it comes to liquid lipstick.  Hoe Hoe Hoe is part of the limited edition Holiday collection.  It's a bit darker and has purple sparkles! 

These shades are perfect for an every day look or an ultra glam look!


Here are some of my darker reds:

Tulle and Trust Issues have brown undertones.  On the lips, they look much redder.  Unicorn Blood and Wicked are both rich colors.  Unicorn Blood is a little brighter then Wicked, but both have a nice burgundy hue.  Dark Room is almost like a deep fuchsia.  It is compared to the color of beets, which I think is spot on.  Of all these colors, I find Tulle and Dark Room to be the most wearable.  I love deep reds like these for fall and winter.  However, I have been known to wear Dark Room on the hottest days of the summer!

Let's think pink, shall we?

I have been loving pink lipstick lately.  I find them extremely easy to wear!

Donut is just fun to wear!  It is a bit more coral, but it's more pink than orange.  Queen Supreme is a pastel neon.  This one works better with a liner underneath to darken the edges of your mouth a little.  Doll Parts is not only my favorite pink, but it might be favorite lipstick (at the moment any way).  And yes...that is quite a bold statement...but Doll Parts is seriously the perfect pink.  It's a little darker than most, not too "baby" and not too "hot."  It's just right.  Geradium is a close second (as far as pinks go).  It's warm and easy to wear.  Clueless is a limited edition shade based on the classic 90's chick flick.  It's a more nude pink.


Orange you glad it's time to talk about more lipstick colors?!

(714) is a pastel neon coral.  Against all these other oranges, it looks more pink than it really is.  I like this color, but of all my Jeffree Stars, it is my least favorite!  It looks much better with a liner underneath, but it is very pastel and against my fair skin it can wash me out a little.  Squash and Pumpkin couldn't be more fall if they tried.  I LOVE Squash so much.  Pumpkin is super wearable.  Gothica is a long-wear metallic.  I always forget about this guy.  Sparkly copper never fails.  Bang! Bang! is the perfect bright orange lipstick.  A Tennessee native, this color speaks to me on another level (Go Big Orange!).  It is definitely my favorite orange ever.

Obviously, I have a thing for classic lip colors.  They can seriously be worn by anyone.  Don't think that you can't pull off red lips...you can!  But if you're nervous to take the red plunge, ease your way in with a nice rosy pink.  Or try out a beautiful orange shade!  There is nothing stopping you from wearing your ideal classic lip color!

Pucker up, my pretties!

My Browcess: TUTORIAL

So I know everyone has seen a million brow tutorials on Pinterest or Instagram or YouTube. But I still get asked all the time how I do my brows. Which to me is a weird question because I don't think about the process anymore. I just do it! 

Like any other part of your makeup routine, this takes time. Trial and error. Lots of practice. Maybe a caterpillar phase. But don't worry. Those fuzzy, extra bold caterpillars will one day become beautiful browterflies. 

When it comes to makeup application, I'd like to think there are no rules, but rather guidelines to follow. Express yourself, but keep in mind the techniques of the trade. 

I'm sure everyone has seen a chart like this:

This is a super simple chart I grabbed from Pinterest. There are plenty more brow shapes and sizes out there, but this a good starting point. I always recommend to not over draw your brows. You should follow your natural line as much as possible. If your brows are over plucked or shaped incorrectly, it's alright to fill in the gaps! I also say to stop plucking/waxing for a while. See if you regain some fullness. 

My natural brows are shaped well, and they aren't super sparse. My hair is just light and a little fine. So my brow "goal" is to darken and define. Your brow goals might be different from mine. Your brows may naturally take a different shape from mine. I absolutely love the look of "flat" eyebrows, but it just isn't the appropriate shape for my face or my natural brow line.  

Luckily, I didn't pluck mine into pencil thin lines in my adolescent years: one great piece of advice from my mother, who in the 70s plucked her eyebrows into nearly nothing. And they never really grew back. But that was the style in her youth. She told me to be extra careful with my eyebrows because they might never grow back. 

I've never had my eyebrows professionally tamed. No waxing, threading, etc. I've always been afraid they might make them too thin. If you have a good brow professional in your life, you should kiss the very ground they walk on because eyebrows are probably the most important thing ever in the makeup world. It's true: they frame your face. So be careful with them!

Bold brows are the trend these days. And bold doesn't necessarily mean huge bulky lines on your forehead. As I mentioned earlier, follow your natural lines! Don't go too dark either. When purchasing brow products, look for a shade that works with your skin tone AND hair color. I see blondes who go with darker brows because they have darker skin, and fair skinned blondes choosing lighter brows. So I wouldn't just choose a color based on your hair. Or just on your skin! And what if you have rainbow hair? Do you dare rock blue brows to match your aqua locks? I'm not 100% into that look, but makeup is about expression so do what you want! If you don't want to color match your brows to your vibrant hair, I think a neutral brunette eyebrow is a good choice. 

Now that I've rambled about brow etiquette, let's talk tutorial! 

I'll start with my products: 

I use tweezers rarely to pluck stray hairs. These are those pesky little eyebrows that grow way below your natural line. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow pomades are my favorite. I've tried powders and pencils, but these gel-like pomades are life. I use two shades: Taupe and Ash Brown to complement my silver hair and fair skin. 

I apply these pomades with the ABH #12 brush. The small angled brush allows for precise application, but is also useful for applying more product when needed to fill in larger areas. The spool end is essential for blending. A sacred step one should never skip. 

NYX wonder pencil is such a wonderful little product. It's a concealer pencil with many uses, but my primary use is brow cleanup! I use the "light" pencil to cover up any messes on my eyebrows after applying pomade or blending. This step accentuates the shape of the brow even more. I use two different brushes to smooth out the concealer. Both are from e.l.f. so they were super inexpensive. I use the professional concealer brush and the small angled brush. The angled brush is great for cleaning up around your arch. 

I finish with ABH clear brow gel! 

The following is a (terrible) pictorial of my brow process (aka browcess):

1. This is my natural brow, combed with the spool end of the #12 brush. 

2. I use the angled end of the #12 brush to apply dipbrow in Ash Brown to create a line on my lower brow. I follow my natural line. 

3. Same as step 2, I use the angled end of the #12 brush to apply dipbrow in Ash Brown to create a line on my upper brow. I follow my natural line. I allow the longer hairs in the front to reach above this line for a more natural look. 

4. I use the angled end of the #12 brush to fill in the lines I created in steps 2 & 3. For this step, I use dipbrow in Taupe. I don't fill in all the way to the front of the brow. When I blend in the next step, the gap will be filled in and an ombré look is achieved. 

5. To create extra definition, I go back in with dipbrow in Ash Brown using the angled end of the #12 brush. I start around my arch and go all the way to the "tail." This step is optional, but it creates a more dramatic ombré. Then, using the spool end of the #12 brush, I blend blend blend! This step is NOT optional! Blending gets rid of any harsh lines and creates a natural look. I blend from front to back. 

Not pictured is the concealing. I apply my NYX wonder pencil anywhere that I may have gone outside the lines. This happens when blending. I use the e.l.f. professional concealer brush to blend the concealer above my brow line in an upward motion, and to shape the front of my brow. I use the e.l.f. small angled brush to blend concealer below my brow line in a downward motion. This brush is perfect for cleaning up your arch as well. 

6. Top with clear brow gel to set your shape and done!

And that's how we get this: 

I am still learning and still perfecting my browcess. I've reached a point of consistency; my brows look the same every day. And that's a big step for me! Keep practicing. Try different products. Different brands. I tried several different things before landing on this regimin. I encourage you to do the same!

Thanks for "browsing" my pretties!

Bold lips? YES YOU CAN!!!

When it comes to lipstick, I fear no shade.  I will wear any color any time.  And I really mean any color.  The only thing that bothers me about my bold lip choices is hearing people say “Wow!  I love your lip color!  I could never pull it off though.”  Ummmmm what?  Of course you can!

When I first started falling in love with lipstick, I had the same thoughts.  But then I remembered that makeup is supposed to be fun.  I’m sure some people see me with turquoise lips and think I look ridiculous, but I think I look fabulous!  And that’s all that matters.

I think everyone should feel confident enough to rock a bold lip color.  Step out of your comfort zone!  I promise you won’t regret it!  Most companies have social media accounts, Instagram included.  I research lipsticks on Instagram more than anywhere else.  I primarily search using #hashtags.  This way I can see shades on different skin tones, and find one close to my own so I get a decent idea of how I might look with certain lip colors.  This is a good way to find normal photos and see how the lipsticks look in natural light, with no retouching. 

Now I’m going to show off some of my collection.  I always use a lip scrub and apply a thick layer of lip balm before applying any lipstick. 

Before we talk swatches, here’s a mini-review of each brand/formula:

Lime Crime Velvetines:  these are liquid to matte.  They are the fastest drying of all the liquid brands I have tried.  I personally find the formula to be consistent between shades, although I’ve read other reviews that suggest otherwise.  These dry my lips out more than some other brands, but I still love them!  They smell like cake!

Lime Crime Unicorn Lipstick:  these have a semi-matte finish.  I say semi-matte because some shades have slight sheen.  They are long wearing and have a sweet vanilla scent.

Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick:  these are matte or metallic.  The mattes are very drying, so make sure to wear LOTS of lip balm underneath!  The metallics don’t dry your lips out, but they are just as long wearing.  They smell like creme brulee!

Melt Cosmetics:  one of my favorite brands, these are all matte shades.  Some of the shades are a little difficult to apply unless you warm them up a bit (I suggest rolling the tube between your hands for a few seconds before applying.  Blow, Blitzed, and the Nood Collection have a slightly creamier texture.  They smell like vanilla cake.

MAC:  their lipsticks are available in several finishes.  The one I swatch here is matte.  The least drying of any matte I’ve ever tried, MAC’s matte lipsticks offer long wear.  All of their lipsticks and glosses are vanilla bean scented.

Jeffree Star Cosmetics:  this liquid to matte formula is probably my favorite...even though I find the formula to be slightly inconsistent between shades.  The pastel colors don’t apply as evenly as the darker shades, but I just apply a second layer before it dries completely.  These are more comfortable to wear than some others.  They have no scent. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills:  also liquid to matte, this formula is comparable to JSC as far as comfort goes.  They don’t dry my lips out like some other formulas.  They also have no scent.



Following are swatches of what I would consider my BOLD lipsticks.  The photos on the left are without flash, photos on the right are with.

Let’s start with purples!  Purple was my first step into the world of bold lip colors.  I think purples are really easy to wear.  However, certain shades can make teeth look a bit yellow.  The purples I have do NOT make my teeth look yellow at all, but there are others that may.  A few of these look sort of pink-ish in these photos, but on the lips they lose that pink hue. 

Blow Pony, Rave, Pansy, Jinx, and Potion are liquids. The rest are matte lipsticks.

Onto the blues!  Blue is a little scarier than purple, but I think it’s another good place to start.  Blue shades seem to flatter every skin tone.

Blue Velvet and Abused are liquids. Blitzed is matte. Cry Baby has a slight iridescent sheen. Poe is metallic.


And a little green never hurt anyone!

Mint to Be, Blitzed, and Blow are matte. I swatched Blitzed again to show you how it compares to greens! Dirty Money is liquid. 

Now for the monochromatic shades:

Space Cake and Bane are matte. NaYEON is metallic. I don't have a black liquid, but don't worry. One will wander in to my collection eventually!


I encourage you to grab a bold lipstick ASAP.  I usually do a more neutral eye look when I wear bold lips, but there’s nothing wrong with going all out!  Gold glitter looks amazing when paired with purple lips.  And nothing sets off those blue lipsticks like a bright orange eye shadow.  Don’t be afraid to try something new!


I know you can pull it off, my pretties!