Lips are the second features on your face that people are going to notice when they see you. The first things are your eyes, but lips can create a fascinating effect because most people like to watch the lips when the interlocutor talks, that is why we should pay attention to the lips, take care of them and emphatice the shape of them. 

Exfoliation
The first thing to take into consideration is exfoliation, because the skin needs to get rid of the dead cells and also because exfoliating your lips can make them smooth and ready for kisses. 

To exfoliate you should rub gently your lips with a wet face cloth to remove the dead skin cells, after exfoliation you should apply a little petroleum jelly to hold the moisture in. A good advise is to never lick your lips, that is a bad habit that you should stop. The saliva will leave a red ring around your mouth, that can often become dry and start to irritate or even hurt your lips. So don’t lick them. Use a gentle face scrub on lips and around your mouth once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells and help moisturizers penetrate. Don’t use your tooth brush to exfoliate because this can cause damage to the delicate skin on your lips, remember to be gentle with your face ALWAYS!

Hydrate
The second important thing to maintain a very nice and healthy looking lip is to keep your body hydrated, that means to drink lots of water, water is going to prevent those nasty chapped lips to appear and will help you have beautiful healthy rosy lips

Have fine lines? Another very important factor to have beautiful lips is to treat the lines around your mouth with a retinoid serum to gradually lessen fine lines. This will make you more sensitive to the sun, so always follow with high SPF.


Defining the lips

1. The first step to define the lips is to apply primer. Primer will provide a smooth surface for makeup
2. The second step is to line your lips with a pencil matched to the color of the inside of your lips or if you are using a very strong color, like red for example, to use a red pencil. Never use a different liner than the lipstick, that is very 80’s an a bad taste.
3. Use a brush to soften the lip liner and to sweep the color over your lips — it will mimic natural pigment and it will get rid of harsh lines.
4. Apply your favorite lipstick, use a brush for precision application. Don’t use the product directly from the tube if you like to share your lipstick with your friends.
5. Apply the gloss, leaving most on the center of your lips to create a fuller effect. Blot excess to keep color from bleeding. If your lips are very thin apply a plumping gloss to create a fuller lip

Just like your hair frames your face, your lips frame your smile. So remember to pay attention to your lips, because a killer smile can create some well deserved attention! And with a little of help and the right products you can add a touch of sophistication to those beautiful lips.


If you want to keep your lipstick for a longer period of time, add a lightweight layer of pressed or loose powder over the first coat of lipstick to set the color (the powder will absorb any moisture) and follow with a second coat of your favorite lipstick.

Any ladies interested in interning for my company TBG Makeup Artistry as a beauty & fashion blogger?

If so send me a message ..

Looking to get between 3-5 interns to help market, blog and gain experience. If you live in the Tri-State Area or even MA and RI you can get hands on experience by assisting at shoots. If you don’t you can still intern as a blogger.

I have one intern at the moment and still working out the kinks on the company blog. You view and/or follow the blog here. 

If interested in interning message me and I’ll send you more info about the intern position.

I’m trying to keep up with this whole U of T thing, but I decided to create a separate blog from the U of T course which will give you all the chance to learn and experience more …

The blog I created is part of my official Company I own and it will also show you insight to how makeup artists are.

Check it out and follow if you’d like.

click here.

If you are just beginning to wear makeup, you may be overwhelmed by the many types and brands of eyeliners out there. Depending on what look you want to achieve, you will want to use different eyeliners to get that desired result. Listed below are the best examples of eyeliners I know of, and the most common ways to apply them.

Liquid Eyeliner

This is the most difficult to apply as it is very bold and slick. Liquid eyeliner generally comes in a tube with a brush (felt tip point) that pulls out with the liquid on it. This is the most difficult liner to apply, so I recommend trying other types before using liquid liner. You need a steady hand, and should apply by brushing short strokes close to the lash line. Start at the middle of the eye, directly above the upper lashes, and SLOWLY brush across the lash line. Then, start at the inner part of the eye and continue to brush until you reach the middle of your eye that you began with.

Pros:

• Great for Arabic makeup, cat eyes, and dramatic looks.
• Provides a well-defined, thin line which makes the eyelashes look thicker.

Cons:

• Very difficult to apply well.
• Takes a steady hand, patience, and practice practice practice!

Pencil Eyeliner

This is the most commonly used liner as it is very easy to manage and control. Pencil eyeliners are just like any other pencil that you sharpen when needed. To apply, you simply “draw” on the line close to your lashline. If you would like to have a color on your waterline, these are generally the best type to use. You DO need to look for ones that are ophthalmologist tested in order to prevent irritation in the eye.

Pros:

• Very easy to control.
• Comes in a wide range of colors.
• Very common and easy to find in every brand of makeup.

Cons:

• Unless you sharpen really well, it does not provide as crisp a line. 

Gel/Cream Eyeliner

This liner has been used more by professional makeup artists than the mainstream public, but it is becoming more common. Cream eyeliners generally come in a pot that you can dip an angled brush, fine tip brush, or even a pencil eyeliner in to get the product out. It can even be used as a creamy base underneath eyeshadows.
If you use a brush to apply, you will need a slightly steady hand as it is creamy and glides pretty easily. Since this liner takes a bit longer to dry, it is great for smudging along the lashline.

Pros:

• Very creamy and easy to smudge.
• Great for smokey eyes.

Cons:

• Not as portable as a pencil eyeliner.

Eyeshadow as an Eyeliner

This is the fastest and easiest way to line your lashes. All you need is a stiff, angled brush or a pencil brush (like MAC’s 219). To apply, simply dip your brush into the eyeshadow of your choice and “draw” or smudge along the upper and/or lower lashline. You CANNOT use this on your waterline- it will not stick, and it will really irritate your eyes. Eyeshadow lining is great for a more subtle daytime look. Plus, the color possibilities are endless! You could even use the pencil brush to smudge the eyeshadow on top of another eyeliner to get rid of any harsh lines.

Pros:

• Multiple colors to choose from.
• Easy to apply.

Cons:

• Cannot be used on the waterline.
• Does not last as long as other eyeliners do.

Hope these tips really help.

• Wear colors opposite of blue on the color wheel, those would be golds, oranges, coppers, and browns.
• Blues can help blue eyes pop if it’s the darker blue and used in moderation - even some purples look nice
• For a fun twist, wear fuchsia or orange on the lid with a touch of brown in the crease - it brightens your eyes while keeping it wearable
• Put that blue eyeliner in the waterline - it accents the whiteness of your eyes and enhances the blue without being too overdone

• Wear colors opposite of green on the color wheel- those would be reds, pinks (usually warmer, deeper pinks), plums, and purples.
• Green eyeshadows can help green eyes pop if it’s the darker green and used in moderation
• Not all pinks are created equal! Darker or warmer pinks are usually more wearable than the light, cool ones
• Applying black eyeliner in the waterline adds nice contrast to the eyes and intensifies the look
• I find that with most green eyed girls, a pop of peach blush on the cheeks compliment the eyes nicely

• Wear colors opposite of brown on the color wheel, those would be blues, teals, greens, and purples
• If your eyes are hazel instead of deep brown, make them look almost green by wearing green eyeshadow
• Yellow is not the best color as it brings out the yellow in some brown eyes
• Applying blue eyeliner in the waterline adds nice contrast to the eyes and makes the whites of your eyes even brighter
• Some brown eyed ladies can wear pink eyeshadows, but the deeper or brighter pinks are a bit more flattering.
• Since many brown eyed babes also have brown or black hair, wearing brown eyeshadow can be too drab against the face.  If you must wear brown eyeshadow, play up the lips with a brighter color

1. Pair the blue with a neutral color such as brown, tan, or even gray - the neutral will offset the brightness of the blue
2. Use blue in moderation. Keep it to just the lid, under the lower lashline, or as an accent in the outer V
3. Choose your blues wisely.  If you feel the color is too bright, go for a deeper blue to replace your everyday brown or black.
4. If you use a brighter blue, use a matte finish as the frosty or glittery finish makes the blue almost too much to handle
5. Blues look good on everyone, but are especially good for brown eyed girls as it makes the brown eyes pop!

Me

Here’s tutorial #3 — a Keyshia Cole Inspired “bold” makeup look. It’s a royal blue shimmery eye with brown in the crease, white eyeliner and pink lips. Everything else on the face is kept neutral.

Inspirational Pic:


Tutorial:


For info on products used and pictures of the look click here.

For 5 extra credit points you can recreate this look by doing a live video or taking a picture of yourself after you’ve completed the look. Also explain the products you used to get the achieve the look.

I haven’t forgotten about the class :) I’ve extended the midterm until July 13th. 

I will have a new lesson up on the 14th, which will pertain to the eyes: shadow, liner, primer, bases and so forth.

Hope you all are enjoying your summer :)

What is eye primer? Why should you use it? And how do you use it?
Eye primer is a base applied on your eyes before any eyeshadow, eye liner, or any other eye product. Applying an eye primer will help reduce the chances of your eyeshadow creasing or running throughout the day.

Natural oils from your skin can start to build up as the day progresses and the oil will start to mix with your makeup. By applying an eye primer, it will be the barrier between the oil in your skin and your eye makeup. It will prevent oils from breaking the makeup down which is what causes your eyeshadow to crease and run.

Eye primers should be applied both on your upper lid and lower lashline. I do not recommend using your face primer on your eyes because it’s not tested for the eye area.

My number #1 choice for eye primer is Urban Decay Primer Potion and my #2 choice is Sephora Perfecting Eye Primer.

Other Primers include:

• Mac Paint Pots
• Two Face Shadow Insurance
• ELF
• Hard Candy
• Homemade (foundation and body butter)
• L’Oreal
• NYX