Makeup Tips & Trends From the Spring 2014 Runways

These makeup tips and trends from the spring runways are brought to you by Walgreens and Collective Bias®.  #WalgreensBeauty #shop #cbias

Spring is in the air here in Southern California.  Would you believe that our weather has been a very warm upper 80's all week, with one day getting as high as 92 degrees?  With the weather getting warmer, it's time to update our looks and freshen up our makeup for spring!  Using the Spring 2014 New York Fashion Week runway photos and looks as my guide, I came up with a list of hot new makeup tips and trends to help you look your best in the new year.

While some of the runway looks are a bit more conceptual, there were a handful of trends that you can easily incorporate into your beauty routine to get a hot new fresh look!  A big thanks goes out to my lovely sister-in-law for modeling these new makeup looks for us. Isn't she gorgeous?!

Makeup Trend #1- Orange Lips

Wait, stay with me here!  Surprisingly enough, orange lips are very flattering on most skin tones.  You can choose a bright orange lip, or go with more of a red-orange look.  The whole idea is to have a neutral face and eye but add that pop of color on the lips.  We did a little bit of eyeliner and mascara, but kept it minimal to really let the lips steal the show!  The lips look very red in these photos, but they were a lot more orange in real life.

Before our makeup shoot I stocked up on new makeup from Walgreens.  They have a huge selection of brands and colors to choose from, and prices that won't break the bank!  I went with Revlon products, and bought some fun new shades that I was excited to try.

When using a bright lip color, be sure to line your lips first with lip liner so your lipstick doesn't bleed outside your lip lines, and to keep your lip line nice and crisp.

For this look we lined the lips with Revlon ColorStay Lip liner in Red, and then used Revlon Moon Drops Creme Lipstick in Hot Coral.

I LOVE this bright lip color, and it looked amazing on Holly and I both.  You can also dot a tiny bit of a lighter lip liner on your cheeks, and then rub it in for a light, natural-looking rosy cheek.

Makeup Trend #2- Black Liner

The retro black lined eyes were definitely HOT on the runways for spring, and can be done a few different ways.  Precise cat eyes are big this season, as well as smudgy black eyes that are lined on the top and inside the bottom lid.  You can go neat or a little smudgy and messy with this look, but either way will make your eyes stand out.  A neutral lip is best for this look.  You can stick with a nude lip, or add a little pink for color.

I used Revlon's ColorStay Liquid Liner in Black to create these cat eyes.  Be sure to start on the inside edge of the eye with a very thin line.  As you get closer to the outside of the eye, gradually make the line a little thicker, and slightly higher.  You can take the edge of the liner out as far as you want depending on the look that you are going for.  Mistakes are easy to fix with a Q-tip dipped in a little water or makeup remover.  You don't have to line underneath the eye, but you can for a more dramatic look.

We used Revlon's Luxurious Color Eyeliner in Black to create her bottom line.  This pencil was perfect, because it came with a little smudging tool on the end of the pencil to help soften the liner line to create more of a smudgey look.

Makeup Trend #3- Light Wash of Pastel Eye Color

This is probably the most "springy" of the three looks I'm sharing with you today, and is very simple to create.  A pretty wash of pastel eyeshadow on the lids was huge on the runways, and can be a great way to add a little spring to your makeup routine.  Light green and purple were frequently spotted, but light blue and pink are also great colors to use as well.

This technique couldn't be easier!  Just sweep the color along your eyelids with a brush.  You can add a little liner if you like, along with some mascara, but the idea is to keep the eye simple and light.  We used Revlon's cute little compact eyeshadow single in lime.  To keep the look soft and airy, I used Revlon's Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Snow Pink on her lips.

I hope these trends help you to freshen up your makeup look this new year, and make you feel great about yourself!  It's so fun to try out new looks and colors… which look are you the most excited to try?

If your powder makeup ever breaks, don't throw it away!  Did you know that you can easily fix it?

It's easy to make your own DIY glitter shoes from a worn out pair of heeels that are sure to make you sparkle!  Check out the tutorial here.

If you liked this project, please follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin', and Instagram.

xo, Laura

Nautical 4th of July Nails

As you may already know, I have a love for anchors and anything nautical (like this nautical dinner party I created for World Market).  Since it's summer and the Fourth of July holiday is next week, I thought I'd try some nautical 4th of July nail art!

I originally wanted to red or blue and white stripes, but my practical side kicked in, so I decided to go with alternating red and white nails, with my ring fingernail painted navy white with a white anchor drawn on.

It was kind of fun to try something different!  Usually I keep it pretty simple on my fingers (I love bright colors on my toes), but I really like the patriotic summer look.  Here's how you can get the look too!

Remember how I told you I changed my original plan?  Ignore the colors of my nails in the above picture, just follow the words!  Sorry about that ;)

A white nail pen would have been perfect to make the anchor, but since I didn't have one, I just used my white nail polish and a toothpick to draw the anchor on my nail.

Start at the top with a white circle, then draw the straight line down.  Make the rounded base of the anchor (looks like a smile), add the pointed ends, and then add the horizontal line across the anchor. Finally, make a small blue dot in the middle of the white circle at the top of the anchor.

Aren't they fun?  Now you're ready for the Fourth of July and a trip to the beach!!  How are you getting ready for the 4th?

If you like this idea, please follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin', and Instagram.

xo, Laura

Linking Up Here: Somewhat Simple, The 36th Avenue, House of Hepworths

How to Fix Any Broken Powder Makeup... Really!

I am so excited to share this cool trick with you today!!  I'll admit it, I like to buy the good stuff when I buy makeup, and it is beyond frustrating when one of my kids (okay, or me) knocks down one of my MAC eye shadows, powders, or blushes, and it breaks into 10 million little tiny crumbles all over the counter.  I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me, and as much as I want to salvage it, it's such a big mess, so I end up throwing it all away, and throwing away my money in the process!

Not anymore!  Using just one ingredient you probably already have at home, you can easily repair your broken powder makeup, and have it back to normal the next morning!  Life changing!!  AND it takes less than 5 minutes to do (although it does take overnight to dry).  Let's begin!

Here's all you'll need:

• Broken powder makeup (powder, eyeshadow, or blush)
• Rubbing alcohol (the higher the concentration, the better- I used 70)
• Plastic wrap (optional, but keeps your fingers cleaner!)

Directions:

1.  Gather all of the broken pieces of makeup into its original container, and crush the whole thing up (even the parts that may not have broken).

2.  Add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to the compact, and let it soak in. Use your finger, the back of a spoon, or anything, really, to rub and smooth down the makeup.  I used my finger (which is still stained bright pink after about 10 hand washes!) at first, but I found that I got better results by placing a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the makeup, and then rubbing the plastic wrap to smooth out the makeup.  If the mixture is still too dry, then add a little more alcohol, and rub again.

3.  Once your makeup is all smooth again, all you have to do is wait, preferably overnight.  The alcohol has to dry out, and once it does your makeup will be totally back to normal, and the alcohol smell will be gone! My blush was perfect the next day, and you never would have guessed that it was a crumbled  mess the day before!

My sad crushed pink blush that would have gotten tossed because I (can't blame the kids this time) dropped it, is now whole and complete and ready to be used again!  Yippee!! This is probably my favorite tip of all time, because everyone drops their makeup, right?

Is anyone else as excited as I am about this?!?

And if you've ever had a problem with your underwire poking out from your bra and stabbing you, be sure to check out my easy tutorial for how to repair a broken underwire bra.

This DIY Lemon and Rosemary scrub smells amazing, is so easy to make, and is a great inexpensive gift!

Another DIYscrub that smells amazing is this Rosemary Mint Sugar and Salt Scrub!

If you liked this project, please follow me on 

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin', and Instagram.

Please share and pin!

XO, Laura

Linking Up Here:  Tatertots & Jello, Whipperberry, The 36th Avenue

How To Pick (and Wear) the Perfect Red Lipstick

Red lips are all the rage this season, and bright red lips are a great look to wear to all your holiday parties and events.  But how do you know which red looks the best on you?  There are so many different shades and formulas to choose from, it can be overwhelming.  This weekend I went to my go-to makeup store, MAC, to get my own perfect red lipstick.  Here's what I found out, and some tips that I've picked up in my make-up wearing life ;)

STEP #1-  What are your skin undertones?  If you have pink or blue undertones to your skin, or pale light skin (like me), then you will look best in a cool red lip shade.  If you have olive or yellow undertones, then you will look best in an orange red or brown red.  If you are unsure of our skin tone, or not confident in choosing the best color for you, then take a trip to to your local cosmetics counter, and they'd be happy to help find the perfect color for you!

STEP #2-  Prepare your lips before applying your lipstick.  If you apply a bold red lipstick to dry lips, your lips will look cracky and gross (for lack of better words).  Don't do it!  Exfoliate those lips with a good lip exfoliant, or even with a facial cleanser that exfoliates.  This will remove all that dead skin, and  give you nice fresh lips.  Now add some moisture to your lips by applying a little lip gloss or moisturizer.

STEP #3- Use a lip liner.  When you wear red lips, lip liner is a necessity!  Red lipstick loves to bleed outside your lip line.  Not good.  To prevent this, you can add a little bit of foundation or powder to the outside of your lips.  Then apply a lip liner that matches your lipstick shade all the way along the upper and lower edge of the lips.  You can even color in the whole lip to make your lipstick last longer.

STEP #4- Apply lipstick.  You can put it on straight out of the tube, or use a lip brush to apply it to your lips, whichever you prefer.  Depending on the finish of the lipstick and how much shine you want, you may choose to wear a clear lip gloss over your red lips.  This is a good choice if your lipstick is matte, and you want a glossy lip, or if you want that super sexy shiny look.

STEP #6- Go easy on the eyes.  With a bold red lip, you need to have a more neutral look on your eyes.  You can go with a light shimmery tan, pink, or even a light brown.  You want the focus to be on your bright lips, and if you wear dark eyes, you will look overdone, and your eyes and lips will be competing against each other.  Stick a with neutral eye.

STEP #5-  Wear your red around the house before wearing it out.  This is for two reasons.  If you are not used to wearing such a bright shade, then this will help you become more confident and used to wearing red.  It also helps to wear your red at home first to see if your particular lipstick will bleed, or become dry leaving your lips looking cracked, etc.

I recently bought a bright red lip gloss, and put it on at home just for fun.  I'm so glad I tried it first, because this lip gloss bled outside my lip line, leaving my lips looking really sloppy.  Now I just add this gloss sparingly over my lipstick, so I don't look like a clown.

My red lipstick choice, MAC's "Russian Red"

I hope you give red lips a try!  Anyone can look great in red lipstick, you just have to choose the right red for your complexion, and know how to properly apply it.  Oh, and if you're curious, the red I bought from MAC is called "Russian Red," and is described as "intense bluish red."  LOVE it.  I am kind of addicted to MAC.  Once you buy MAC, you'll never go back!!

If you liked this project, please follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin', and Instagram.

XO, Laura