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New England Based Teacher DIY, Beauty and Style Blogger

First Time Wearing Lipstick – Color Swatches

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Hello all! Last week I continued a series on my Journey Into Beauty with a post about tips for wearing lipstick. Valentine’s Day is coming up and if you’ve never really gotten in to wearing lipstick, holidays are a great time to try them out! Since last week’s post was getting way too long, I decided to wait for the color samples and swatches for this week. So without further ado, here are my favorite lip products!

For more information about each type and about how to apply lip color for the first time, see this post.

My Favorite Lip Colors by Type

Lipstick Favorites

First time wearing lipstick swatches
MAC Rebel (absolute FAVORITE color!)
Lined with NYX Slim Lip Pencil 816 Fushia
MAC Matte Lipstick (Candy Yum Yum)
Lined with NYX Slim Lip Pencil 816 Fushia
Milani Matte Color Statement Lipstick (Diva) – great drugstore dupe for Candy Yum Yum, though not as long-lasting
Lined with NYX Slim Lip Pencil 816 Fushia


Lip Crayon Favorites

Lipstick swatches lip crayons

Liquid Lipstick Favorites

first time applying liquid lipstick
Top Left: 
Lined with NYX Retractable Lip Liner Crayon in Nude Pink 06
Top Right:
Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme (in 05 Embrace, may not be available)

Lined with NYX Slim Lip Pencil 834 Prune

Bottom Left: 
Lined with Prestige Lipliner (Amore)
Bottom Right: 
Lined with Palladio Precision Lip Liner (Candy Apple)

My Favorite Lip Colors by Color

Red Lipsticks Side By Side 

wearing red lipstick swatches
4 – Palladio Precision Lip Liner (Candy Apple)
5 – Prestige Lipliner (Amore)
A bold red lip is such a classic look. See how I wore #2 (Beso) here and here.

Pink Lipsticks Side by Side

first time applying pink lipstick swatches
Rosy Pinks
Bright Pinks
3 – Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain (Lovesick)
5 – MAC Matte Lipstick (Candy Yum Yum)
See them worn…
For a more natural look, see #2 Patina worn here.
For a fun, bright pop of color, see #5 Candy Yum Yum worn here and here.

Berry Lipsticks Side by Side

Berry lipstick swatches to try first time
1 – Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme (in 05 Embrace, may not be available)
2 – MAC Rebel 
See them worn…
#2 here and here 
Well, that’s my rundown of swatches for you of last week’s lipstick products! I hope you have fun playing around with lipstick and if you’re still looking for some Valentine’s Day Outfit ideas, check out this post! 


Thanks for visiting! 

First Time Wearing Lipstick – Tips

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Tips-for-wearing-lipstick-the-first-time

Since Valentine’s Day is approaching, I thought it was a good time to do another “Journey Into Beauty” post. I went years without wearing any makeup beyond foundation. When I finally ventured into beauty, there was a steep learning curve. So, what does a teacher do when she doesn’t know about a topic? She researches! To see more posts related to this journey, see here and here.

Today we’re going to talk about the first time wearing lipstick. I felt so awkward trying on lipstick for the first time – each time I tried either the color wasn’t right for my skin tone or I just felt like it was WAY too bright! I learned a few things:

  1. As I started applying other makeup, lipstick became a natural addition. It balanced out my look and became my favorite accessory! Lipstick can pull an outfit together by its color (see what I mean here) and once you buy it, it can dress up so many other outfits.
  2. I felt less like a painted lady when I “practiced” wearing it for a special occasion. So ladies, Valentine’s Day is coming up! Whether you’ve got a special someone, you’re going out with the girls, or having your own girl’s night at home, grab a new lipstick and let’s learn how to make it work!
When I wrote this post out it turned out WAY too long so I’m going to split it into 2 posts. This first one will be about Tips for wearing lipstick for the first time. The second will be about color suggestions!
We’ll start with tips to make the lipstick look good and last longer.

Tips for wearing lipstick for the first time!

Exfoliate and Moisturize

Though you don’t need to do this the first time applying lipstick, periodically exfoliating and keeping your lips moisturized will make the lipstick look better in the long run.
I started with the ELF exfoliator that you can get at Target or most local drugstores. That worked but I didn’t like how rough it was on my lips. I now use this lip polish, which is more spendy but will last forever and is really gentle and moisturizing.
When I do my makeup in the morning, I put on some chapstick while I get ready and then wipe it off before I apply the lipstick. I personally like matte lip colors better because I feel like they transfer less onto coffee cups, etc. If I leave my chapstick on under the matte lipcolor, it doesn’t quite dry and then I have a problem with it transferring off my lips.

Prime the Lips

Some lipsticks just won’t last all day but Clinique’s All About Lips is AMAZING! First of all, it keeps my lips moisturized while still allowing the lipstick to dry. Then, it makes my lipstick and lip liner application smooth. When it dries, it lasts most of the day (provided I apply a long-lasting lipstick on top).

Line Lip with Lipliner

first-time-wearing-lipstick-tips-lipliner
The first time I applied lipstick, I will admit, it got all over. It was so hard to keep it “in the lines” and sometimes the color would bleed outside the edge of my lip! Not all lip liners are easy to use, but after applying All About Lips, most lip liners slide right on.
I line my lips and then fill them in.
  1. The lipliner acts as a guide for where to apply my lipstick.
  2. It acts as a color base to slightly change the color of my lipstick. For example, one of my favorite lipsticks is Mac’s Rebel (a plum) and during the fall I tend to wear NYX’s Fushia underneath to make it brighter and in the winter I wear NYX’s Prune underneath to make it darker.
  3. The lipliner acts as a base that helps the color last longer and keeps the lipstick from bleeding beyond the lip line.


In the image above: From Top to bottom

NYX Slim Lip Pencil (Prune, then Fushia)

Choose your type of Lipstick

Lipsticks come in different formulas and types – from sheer to matte. I almost always wear matte lipsticks when I want it to last all day at school but there are a number of great lip crayons that will give a more sheer coverage and still last a long time.

Lipstick

first-time-tips-for-wearing-lipstick
For your first time applying lipstick I would go with the tried and true twist up lipstick. My favorite lipsticks are from MAC. They’re more expensive than the drugstore but the quality is amazing and they’re more affordable than some of the liquid lipsticks. You can buy MAC in many department stores or find them online. Most places where MAC is sold (think Macy’s or Nordstroms) you can go in and a MAC makeup artist will help you pick out a shade.
If you want to start with a drugstore product to see how it goes, the Milani Matte Color Statement Lipsticks are a great option. Or, if you’re ok with ordering online, the ColourPop Lippie Stixs are also affordable and come in so many different colors.

Lip Crayons

lipstick-tips-for-first-time-lip-crayon
These have quickly become my “go-to” when school has gotten busy. Lip crayons don’t last as long on me but they’re so easy to apply and throw in your purse for reapplication later. I never use a lipliner with lip crayons and I don’t have to because their shape makes it much easier to apply. It’s like having a lip liner and lipstick in one!
My favorites are the Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stains. They are more sheer than a regular lipstick but feel moisturizing and still last a long time. I tend to throw these in my purse and use them to touch up my lipsticks or add some color when I didn’t have time in the morning.
Recently I got a sample of this NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil as a sample and I am in love with the color and texture.
Top to Bottom: 
Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain in Lovesick (more pink)
Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain in Smitten (more berry)

Liquid Lipsticks

how-to-try-liquid-lipstick-first-time
The second lipstick I bought after my MAC lipstick purchase was a Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick. I had finally found my perfect shade of red and it lasted all day and didn’t come off when I kissed my husband on the cheek! I was sold!
Since I fell in love with Stila I have come across other liquid lipsticks that I love. The best are the Milani Amore Matte Lip Cremes – AMAZING! They do NOT come off. I wore the color Embrace (pictured) on a date night last week and even after drinking a whole glass of water, the lipstick was still in place and didn’t come off on the glass! These were so amazing that they sold out almost as soon as they arrived in stores but Milani came out with new colors online and even though they’re more expensive now than when they originally came out, they’re still drug store prices!
From Left to Right: 
Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme (Embrace – may not be available)
Well, if you made it through, I’m very impressed! Hopefully you picked up a few tips about wearing lipstick for the first time that will make it a little less scary and a little more fun! Make sure to check back next week when I will have pictures of the shades above and some comparisons!

Hope you have a wonderful week! Thanks for stopping by!

Journey Into Beauty: Up the Amp with Eyeshadow

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Eyeshadow ideas and Eye makeup for beginners

Back in May I started a series about my own experience learning about and trying out makeup. (see the first post here) I never knew how to do makeup when I was younger and when I got my job, I cared more about sleep than “looking good.” That changed a few years ago and slowly, I learned about beauty.

The next part of this series on my “Journey Into Beauty” is about Eyeshadow. After you’ve established the basics, you can start to “up the amp.” Learning how to apply eyeshadow (in a way that looked good!) took me time, but once I had a makeup routine established for the rest of my face, it didn’t take much extra effort to try out some eye makeup. I bought my first eyeshadows years ago but never really learned how to use them. Last year, my husband bought me the Naked2 Eyeshadow Palette for Christmas and that’s when I finally learned how to use eyeshadow. Palettes have multiple colors that are meant to work together, so there is less guessing involved. I turned to YouTube to teach me how to use it! I spent hours watching youtubers teach me how to use that palette and those videos led me to other tutorial videos.

I hope to give you some tips and send some resources your way. After all, I’m a history teacher! Any time I turn to any topic, I research it! Here are some of the things I discovered through that research.

Tips:

1. Wear an eye primer.

My first attempts at eyeshadow resulted in messy fallout and smudging by the end of the day. Now I know to always use a primer. It helps the shadow stay put. Many of them also conceal to create a smooth canvas to apply color. I use a Mac Paint Pot in Soft Ochre (I got it a LONG time ago to try out and since it works well I have no reason to replace it) but I also recommend Urban Decay’s Primer Potion. The Original is a great natural base and a little bit goes a long way. They also have some shinier versions for when you want to glam it up with some sparkle!

2. Shiny shadows look better on the lid.

That is where you are more likely to want to catch the light. When you use reflective shadows on the lid, make sure when you apply them that you don’t go up into the crease.

3. Use a matte shadow for the crease.

Reflective shadows just reflect the light, taking away the dimension you get from the depth of the crease. For me this is especially important since I have semi-hooded eyes (see image below). Hooded eyes make it so that unless you blink, your lid is covered and you can’t really see the crease. If I use a shiny crease color the light will reflect and I will look like I have no crease at all. Instead, I use a matte color there and bring the color slightly above my actual crease and blend it out.

4. Find out your eye type.

There are a number of different eye types. If you find that your eyeshadow just doesn’t look right, check out the shape of your eye and look up ways to deal with that exact eye type.

    • Here is a visual of the different shapes of eyes.
(source below)
    • This website has some great information on how to do eye makeup for different types of eyes.

5. Use a highlighting shade below the brow bone and in the corners of your eye

Eye makeup

I can not tell you how much this changes my eye looks. When I don’t do this, my eyes look unfinished. When I do, I look more awake and put together. Crazy, I know, but just try it!

6. Eyeliner pulls together an eyeshadow look.

When you start doing more complicated eye looks, start using eyeliner. There are different ways to line your eyes.
    • Pencil Liner – better on the bottom part of the eye. In my experience, eye pencils can either be too soft (and they smear) or dry (and don’t go on smooth). So, if I use a pencil, it’s for the bottom part of the eye because it can be messy and you can blend it out with a pencil brush. (This one is not like a regular pencil liner and I LOVE it! More in widget below)
    • Gel Liner – some people love this. I liked it for awhile but I found it hard to apply and I often made it too thick because once I would mess up I would have to even out the other side and it just kept getting thicker and thicker. If you use gel liner, you will need to have a brush that works with it. Here are a few types.
Eyeshadow ideas how to
    • Liquid liner – This is my favorite. There are a few different types of liquid liner. I like ones with a foam rather than brush tip, such as this one here. It’s easy to use and goes on smooth.
    • Black eyeshadow – This actually works great for eyeliner. I got this tip from a YouTuber who suggested that using eyeshadow as a liner looks more natural. It totally does, so for those of you just starting out, this might be a good option. Many palettes come with a black color. Then all you would need is a liner brush.

7. Use the right tools.

Eyeshadow won’t look right if it is flaking off a brush that is too big and fluffy. It will go too far above the crease if the brush is too big. (see video 3 below for some good examples of the different types of brushes) My favorite brushes are:

    1. Flat, dense brush to apply color precisely on the lid. (You can also use this brush for eyeshadow under the brow bone and to highlight the inner corner as well)
    2. Thicker, slightly bigger brush for the crease
    3. Pencil brush to smudge out the eyeliner under the eye.
    4. Fluffy, soft brush to blend. (see next tip) – This will be the hardest brush to find because it needs to be fluffy enough to blend and also fit in your eye crease. Since everyone’s crease is different some brushes may be too small and others too big. This is the one I use.

8. Blend, blend, blend.

You will see this in the video below, but basically, blending makes the shadow seem less harsh, especially where the colors meet.

A few of the videos that were on repeat as I learned to do shadow:

This video was one of the first tutorials where I got the gist of where to use colors.

This second video is using the same palette, from my favorite beauty YouTuber, Jaclyn Hill. She has helped me understand where to place shadows and why. The beginning of the clip she focuses on the eyes.

Finally, this last video is by another one of my YouTube favorites, Kathleen Lights. This video is for you if you want to try a natural look that doesn’t break the bank! I bought the Wet and Wild Walking on Eggshells Trio she features in this video and use it every other day. It’s awesome.

The video as a whole is great, but if you want to specifically watch her apply the eye makeup, skip ahead to 12:40.

This one also shows examples of the different brushes for shadow and liner.

Products and Tools from this post:

Well, if you’ve made it this far, way to go! That was a long post. I hope, though, that it was helpful to you. Bookmark it or pin it for when you’re ready to play with eyeshadows and “up the amp.” If you missed the first post in this series, find it here.

If you have any questions or recommendations, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to read!

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