Makeup For Dummies Vol 2: Flawless Foundation

Hello world!

Now that you have the information about the brushes, lets get started with the foundation. 

Women typically have two concerns when it comes to a good foundation:

• I can never find a shade that matches my skin tone.
• I can never find a foundation that lasts all day.

Well, let me help you with that ladies :) To find a shade all you need to do is make sure it matches your neck and, more or less, your chest. Sometimes peoples' faces can be quite a different tone than the rest of them. So, when you match it purely with your face, i.e. sampling some on your cheek, you are going to have that line around your face. Not cute. However, if your face and body match, still make sure it matches your neck as well as your face. I also recommend going to a store like MAC or Sephora where there are open samples, or associates that can help color match you. Going to a drug store is not good when looking for a foundation because you cannot open the product until you buy it. Yes, this means you might need to spend a little more money, but it is worth it. If you are going to spend a shiny penny on any makeup product, it should be your foundation. Why, you ask?

• It is made with better quality ingredients, making it last longer on your face.
• Since it will last more on your face, you can use less of it.
• Drug store brands tend to waste quickly, because you will have to use more of it to get the staying power and the coverage you want. 

Think about it, you will waste more money buying a drug store foundation every two months because it ran out, than if you spent $40 on a quality foundation once a year. Sometimes it might last you more depending on if you wear it everyday.

Before you even think about touching your skin with foundation, you will cleanse and moisturize your face. In my skincare post I talk about the importance of skin care. I also did a full skin care routine, but for everyday just do the cleanser and moisturizer. And don't you dare tell me you don't have time to wash your face, girl! If you have time to read this post you have time to be cleansed and moisturized. 

Now let us move on to application, shall we? The foundation I will be using is a liquid. Liquid foundations have gotten a real bad reputation. People say they're oily and clog your pores. However, foundations have come a looooonnnggg way. Most are actually very gentle and water based. I also like the way liquid looks better than a powder. Powders are good for setting your makeup, but not as your only coverage source. To me they just sit on top of skin, and have zero to none staying power. Of course there are exceptions, but with liquid you will always be safe. 

After your moisturizer you can apply a little sunscreen for sun protection. This is good to do especially in the summer time, but it is optional. Next, use a face primer. These hold on to your foundation and keep it from rubbing off. This you can do with your fingers, just like when you apply moisturizer. 

Benefit Porefessional Primer

Then, take your stippling brush....

and your foundation...

Kat Von D Lock-it Tattoo Foundation (amazing coverage)

... and just do one pump onto the back of you hand. The foundation I used is a tad thick, so to soften it a little I just put a little moisturizer into it, and mixed them together. 

Then all I do is tap my stippling brush into the foundation and dab some all over my face. Like so:

No makeup. Not cute.

Now that each surface of the face has some foundation on it, I just start buffing it into my skin in small circular motions until it is all blended. I do it like this instead of doing one side first so that I don't do one side heavier than the other. And voila!! Much better, no?

See how the stippling brush just took away all my imperfections. And I turned to the side for you guys so that you can see how it matches my neck. 

Now, it is time for some concealer. This is optional if you really don't need it. I just use it because I have a bit of discoloration under my eyes, my nose, and my eyelids. If I am going to put on eye shadow I don't put concealer on the lip though. It makes my shadow crease. 

 Benefit Boiing Concealer 

And like I said in my brush post, you can choose to use a concealer brush or just your finger to blend out the color.  

 Gotta get the nose, girl! Cover up that redness.

Lastly it is time to set the foundation with a powder. As I am sure you know, I like to use a translucent one. These don't add color, so it won't be too heavy or cakey looking. Sometimes I do use a color one, if I am going to a party or being photographed, but other than that no. I just use my fluffy powder brush...

...to get the powder all over my face. I also make sure to pay special attention to the T-zone (forehead, nose, eyelids, and cheeks) as these get the most oily. 

Stila Hydration Finishing Powder

One more point I want to make is that you don't need to get both the primer and the setting powder. Their role is to make your makeup invincible, but I know that times is hard, right? So at the very least get a setting powder or a setting spray (coming up in a later post) to put on after the foundation is done. It will still do the job. I never had a primer until recently and my makeup lasted all day with this powder. I just use a primer now because, well why not? Ha ha. 

Keep in mind, this is the way I do my makeup and the way I learned. Feel free to adjust it to your own taste :)

I hope that this is helpful and will continue to be. It better be, girl, 'cause there are more coming your way! Stay-tuned for tomorrow. Highlighting and contouring coming right up :) If you're like What is that? Just wait and see...

What is your main foundation concern?

Did you always use liquids or powder before reading this post?

What kind of foundation do you prefer?

You know how I look forward to your answers :)

Peace out!

Nicole xo.

Makeup for Dummies, Vol. 1: Makeup Brushes

Hello, my darlings! 

Hope you are all enjoying your Sunday. Mine started out with some morning Zumba and it was amazing as always. If you have never tried Zumba, you must! Just sayin'.

My fellow Zumbonians (yes we are a separate race ha ha) and I were chatting after class and they informed me that it would be very helpful for me to show makeup from the beginning. They had a lot of requests that I am sure you may have too. Especially if you are not experienced with makeup, the following posts will be perfect for you. I will try to keep everything as simple as possible, and true to the word 'basic' in the title.

When were talking they asked things like:

• What is each brush used for? Like I don't know!
• How do you know which foundation is the right color?
• What about lipstick? How do you pick the right shade for your lips?

All valid points, and I am more than happy to teach :) Oh and I am not calling you dumb. The title was their idea. I promise! Ha ha. So with no further ado I will start from the very beginning. I'm going back to black as Ms. Winehouse would say...

Now, there are millions (exaggeration) of brushes out there. They come in all different shapes and sizes,  making it very confusing for the average person who just wants to look nice. As you can see I have many brushes.

 Boomshakalaka!

However, I do not use them on an everyday basis. I know how to use them, but I would only take them along with me if I were 'on the job'. Don't worry I am not going to go through all of them. I don't want to torture you with a boring post anymore than I want to write one. I'm just going to be showing you the brushes I use all day errday. Ya feel me? Good.

I also want to get one thing out of the way before I begin. You might be asking Do I really need brushes to do my makeup? Let me put it this way. If you hired a painting crew, or plumbers, or even the cable guy, and they came to your house without their equipment you would be like double-u tee ef, right? It is the same principle when it comes to makeup. You need the tools to do the job. It will look better and you won't ever have to say that makeup doesn't work. That is blasphemy, I tell you! (I didn't mean to yell. Still love you) Moving on... :) 

Brush 1: Stippling Brush

I actually purchased this brush from MAC ages ago and it is the bombdigadee pretty awesome. It is called a stippling brush. In my experience it gives the most flawless, weightless, airbrushed finish to your foundation. You may be used to seeing the horozantal, flat foundation brushes, but they can sometimes pack the foundation on too heavily. The stippling brush just buffs it in nicely and evenly into the skin.

 Brush 2: Fluffy Powder/Blush Brush

The name is pretty self explanatory, but they don't only have to be used for blusher. I actually use two. I use the top one as a blending brush for when I put on bronzer, and the bottom to apply setting powder. Oh, and I got these from my mom actually, who got them from Mary Kay.

Brush 3: Skinny Angled Brush

 I used this brush for contouring and highlighting my face. I like it because it is thin and gives you really good definition when it comes to contouring. The thinness also comes in handy when you highlight because it fits perfectly into the tiny spots on your face that you want to bring out.

Brush 4: Angled Face Brush

View from the top 

This one I use for my bronzer. The reason I choose this one over the brush mentioned before is because I don't wanna have an orange streak on my face. The bigger the brush, the less concentration of color there will be. I also got this brush from Mary Kay.

Brush 5: Blusher Brush 

This little beauty is not as fluffy as Brush 2 and that is exactly why I use it for blusher. It fits perfectly onto the apples of my cheeks. Trust me, you don't want a big pink spot from your nose to your ear, by using something as big as your face. This brush is also from, you guessed it, Mary Kay.

Brush 6: Flat Concealer Brush

Now this brush is totally optional. I personally just use my finger to press and blend my concealer. If I were doing it on a client, I would definitely use a brush though. But, for yourself the heat of your finger actually helps to blend the concealer much better. It is up to you though. This brush was actually a gift and have no idea where its from lol.

And that is basically it for the brushes. Not bad, right? It might seem like a lot, but when I was taking pictures of my brushes and got to the end, I was like Oh, is that it? But now that you know what each brush can do, you can get just get one or two of them depending on your makeup needs. Or if you already them and are like huh?, now you can start using them.

Also you will notice that this is 'Makeup for Dummies Vol. 1'. In this series, I will publish a post in more detail about a different area of the face. It will go from foundation, to highlighting, contouring, blush, and even eyebrows. So by the end you will be able to achieve a perfect foundation look. 

I think I will do other Volumes, too. Maybe one on lips and eyes. What do you guys think. Yay or nay?

In this post I vaguely show how to highlight and contour, if you have never hear those phrases before. Just click here to see it. I will do it again for you though in this 'Dummies' series in more detail :)

Hope you find this helpful and enjoy the rest of your day!

Laters!!!

Nicole xo.

CVS Haul

Hello, lovely people!

I am very excited to share with you what I got a CVS yesterday. 

Not only do I blog, but I read other blogs. I have seen these products mentioned over and over again on these other blogs and have always made a note to get them. Well yesterday I decided it was the day to go to CVS and get them all at once, and then become broke! Yes, broke I tell you. Did you know you can spend $72 dollars at a drug store? Me either. When I told Tito (my sister's boyfriend) the amount I spent, he almost had a coronary. He's a banker so money means something to him lol

I know you're thinking, Girl you work at a makeup store. What are you doing at CVS? Well I was off yesterday and CVS is much closer. And as I've said I have heard wonderful things about these products, and seen their magic on Youtube. Plus, I'm not snotty when it comes to brands and wanted to try something new. Learn from my mistakes though, guys. Don't buy everything at once like a looney-toon. 

Moving on... here are the culprits :)

 Revlon Lip gloss in Bellini

 From left to right:

Revlon Lipstick in 'Pink in the Afternoon'

L'Oreal Lipstick in 'Endless Kiss'

Maybeline Clear Great Lash Mascara

L'Oreal True Match Powder in W7

Milani Baked Blush in 'Luminoso'

First of all, these products were all 100% worth it. I don't care if it cost an arm and a leg. For not high-end brands they do the job.

A lot of people have trouble finding the perfect red, hot pink, or even dark berries for their lips. These have never been a problem for me. Nudes and light pinks, on the other hand, have been my kryptonite. They are either too light and wash me out, or are too baby pink and look like I'm a six year old wearing her mothers lipstick. But, I swear these two lipsticks on the left are perfection. 'Pink in the Afternoon' is more of a natural looking pink, but they amplify the natural color of my lips, which is something I have been looking for since forever. 'Endless Kiss' is a little less pinky. It has a cooler undertone, making it appear more clear on my lips. It is awesome if you want to play up the eyes a bit more and dumb the lips down. And when I put 'Bellini' on top of both of them... giiiiirrllllllll! It is the perfect nude. Think Kim Kardashian or Jennifer Lopez. You will look so tan and sexified. And I love it on its own too. It doesn't wash me out and has the perfect amount of shimmer. I see a lot of pool and beach days with my buddy, Bellini.

I got the clear mascara not for my lashes. What?! That's right. I got it as a setting gel for my eyebrows. I did them today with this stuff and it makes the biggest difference. My eye brows stay just as dark as they were when I first filled them in this morning, and make them look cleaner. Get this stuff. It is hashtag awesome.

Look at my brows, girl!

Shout out to my girl, Audrey on my shirt :)

The face powder I actually got a shade or two darker than my skin tone. Why, you ask? Well, I wanted something more matte and in a neutral tone to make my contour more natural looking. Bronzers are good, but I felt like it was just too warm for me. A more skin-tone color will look like its your face and not a bronzer you put there. Don't get me wrong I still dusted bronzer on the same places, but it was just to get that golden affect, not to be used as my sole contouring tool. 

Now, ladies and gentlemen I would like to take a special moment to talk about the blessing that is this blush. I mean, look at it!

Ooooo, aaaaahhh...

See how it is all cracked looking? Well in those cracks there are hints and flecks of gold, peach, and shimmer. I put it on and my cheeks don't look like I have a flat color of pink. My cheeks look real and like a healthy pink glow. The peach undertone to it is also very flattering. It adds some spice. The luminous shimmer in it also gives you that dewy, youthful look that we all long for. This stuff is crazy. Its on crack! (get it? 'cause it has cracks in it). Okay, I'm done ha ha.

So yeah. If you are in need of a new lipstick for everyday, want to get a peachy glow, or just want something new, go to and check these out. Get one thing, or be crazy like me and get it all. 

I hope this helped anyone who is looking for new goodies :)

Have you tried any of these products?

What lip colors give you the toughest time?

Have you ever spent a crazy amount of money in a drug store? Ha ha.

Let me know in the comments below. Don't worry, I won't judge you ;)

Have a wonderful night and weekend, everyone!

-Nicole xo.

Throwback!

Hello, beautiful (or handsome ha ha)!

Its another hot one today, but at least its not cloudy. I hope your day is going good :)

Now, today is Thursday. And unless you have been living under a rock (sorry, Patrick) for the last decade, you know that Thursday means throwback. I have never done one on the blog before, but have done it on my Instagram and thought why do it here too.

It is so weird to think that two years ago I went to my Senior Prom and graduated high school. I will never forget that world wind of two days. It was also blistering hot that day like it is today. Plus, my high school just had their prom exactly a week from today, and graduation is a week from tomorrow. 

(Weird. I had hair. As you can see I loved bronzer, even then. Some things never change, eh? lol)

(Me and my buddy Matt. No he was not my date. Didn't have one.)

So crazy! I looked so different back then.

Anyways, I thought to myself today, I have blogged so much about the exterior components of beauty, but haven't discussed inner beauty. Well, today is the day. I mentioned on my first post that inner beauty is deeply connected to how beautiful you are one the outside. 

So today I wanted to talk about a component of inner beauty that is really important and that I think everyone (I hope) can relate to: being true to oneself. 

In high school I was not very well known and only had a handful of friends. And honestly I was fine with that. At the time I had great friends, but somehow I never quite felt like myself. Even around my closest friends, I felt unable to let my true self shine through. I remember doing and saying things that just weren't me. But, of course since I continued this type of behavior that is who people thought I was. I pretty much got stuck in this rut of negativity and pure wastefullness. Yes that is not a word, by any means, but it is the only way I can think of to explain it to you. Now, don't get me wrong. I didn't go around being angry with everyone or spend my weekends with 'low-lives', as my mother would say ha ha. I also did pretty good in school. But I never got involved in things. I never tried to make new friends than the ones I already had. I never thought I would fit in anywhere else. So I just kept on ignoring the person I am. 

I'm not saying that I regret hanging out with the friends I had, or that we didn't have fun (believe me, we did) but I sometimes wish I could go back to things like Prom, graduation, school in general, and just really be there. You know? Just really present. I look back on Prom and high school and just remember being uncomfortable in my own skin. I wish I really could have enjoyed it more.

I wouldn't say that I was insecure, just unsure. 

Now things are totally different. I feel more like myself than ever before. People and friends from high school see me now, or see the way I am and tell me how different I am or how much I have changed. The truth is I didn't change at all. I just stopped being that person that I was pretending to be. I just became myself. I really am a positive person and like to spread that around. I don't wanna waste my time anymore with negativity. Negativity is really rubbish. Before I moved and before high school I was a happy girl. Now she is back, baby! I am silly, weird even. And love to laugh, be crazy, and joke around. Only now I do it to be funny and not to try to be funny.

I will admit there are times where I give in to my negative thoughts and am sad sometimes. But, who isn't? That's why I think this post is so important. Its not only for boys and girls in high school who just want to belong somewhere. Adults, even as old as 80 years old, deal with this. Its also important to remember that its not about being perfect or always being sure of yourself, but about staying as true to yourself as possible in the situation you are in. 

Whenever I am sad or feeling some type of way I will do something productive. I workout, read a book, clean something, watch a funny movie, or something as simple as taking deep breaths.

 Lately, it has been this right here. Blogging. Blogging has saved me. I blog to share with you all my discoveries about beauty or fashion, and you read it and get something from it. And that right there is a positive, beautiful thing, my friends. I get something out of you enjoying my blog. The happiness I feel then gets put into my blog, and (hopefully) makes you happy. Then happiness, instead of the sadness, gets passed around. See the picture I'm painting for you? 

I would have never been able to do this blog two years ago. The idea to put myself out there would have frightened me. But, no more. I realized that I had skills and knowledge that I could share with you all. It was always so easy for me to believe that I had some type of talent, but I do. And to all of you out there reading this, so do you. Among you there are writers, painters, scientists... etc. 

So here I am, accepting my self more and more each day, telling you that you are awesome and don't try to hide it. It might sound kind of crazy, but sometimes I tell myself that if my mind is thinking it, the opposite is probably the truth. So if you have that voice in your head that is telling you something negative or harmful, don't listen. If it is telling you to continue something that you know is really not good for you, do the opposite. And, who knows? Maybe I am too young to fully know who I am, but I know who I am definitely not, and it was not that girl in high school. There were some moments when it would shine through, but I couldn't seem to hold on to it.

So, for any young girls that are in high school or going into their senior year next fall, be present. Do not get distracted by the 'drama'. It will not matter in a year. Hell, it won't even matter in a couple of days. Also, if you haven't already, shed that facade you put on every day. As Jessie J would say, There's nothing wrong with who you are :) Don't worry if you don't talk or act like the rest of your friends. Chances are they will stick around. It is also likely that most of the insiders and jokes you guys repeat over and over again were also your doing, so there is no need to be obnoxious with it (like I was, sadly). I wish I would have realized this earlier.

And for all my other people, like me, you are more sure of yourselves but sometimes feel like you have a long way to go. Just hang in there buddy because you are heading in the right direction. 

Finally, for those of you who are reading this and going, Damn I feel like I'm stuck in this cage and will never get out. Sure you can. Just tell yourself that it is pointless being afraid. You cannot run from yourself forever, you know. Plus, people might already see who you really are and you are just being too hard on yourself. And in case no one has told you today I love you, you deserve so much more than you think, and are truly amazing. When you see that, you can achieve anything. 

See? Ha ha ha. Get it? Yes, no, maybe lol

Thank you all so much for reading, I love you guys :) Group hug? Ha ha.

-Nicole 

x.

What were your high school experiences?
Did you feel the same way in your high school years or if you are still in it?

Crappy Days and Super Bag Review #1

When I woke up this morning the sun was completely gone. 

It was so cloudy and muggy out, and it totally killed my mood. Not even my morning workout helped to get me out of my funk. Then I thought that it was such a waste of time being negative. So I hopped into the shower and decided to take one of those nice, long, relaxing showers. Those always make me feel better, and this was no exception. Then when I was doing my makeup for work I was sweating bullets because of the humidity. So I opted for a simple look, because it is too hot and ain't nobody got time for that! To further keep my spirits up I did a really bright red lip. You know how I love my red lip, girl!

Hi there! :)

 Plus, I wanted to get a blog up earlier today since last night I did it so late. Sorry about that guys. And since I'm feeling a little crappy, blogging to you guys makes me feel so much better. I really love you guys :)

Super Bag Review Time!

I don't know if many of you remember that humongo (yes this is a word. My word) bag I got from my "Super Bag!" post, but since then I have tried out quite a few things. Some of them were complete hits, and none were complete bombs. Although some were a mix of both. Keep in mind that this is just how the products worked for me. They may very well be different for you. With that said, let's get started...

I tried six items so far:

-Bumble and Bumble Surf shampoo and conditioner.

-Jack Black's Beard Lube (its not what you think ha ha)

-Nude cleanser, oil, and moisturizer.

-Punker liquid eyeliner.

-Benefit Porefessional Primer.

-Benefit They're Real mascara.

Cons: None!
Pros: It smells heavenly. It just has this very clean, beach-y scent. Now you might be all Hold up, girl!      You have no hair. Well, that is true, but my hair (what's left of it, anyway) felt really soft afterward and even looked shinier.

Cons: None whatsoever!
Pros: This is fragrance free. However, as you can see it has eucalyptus in it, so the minty scent is purely from that. Nothing is added to make it smell like that. I used this today in the shower actually while shaving my legs. See, Jack Black is a company marketed towards men, but women can use it too. Even their skin care can be used on women. The cream also is not foamy like a lot of the girly shaving creams and does not burn. Finally! And ladies, we tend to be extra sensitive in our underarm and bikini area, right?. Well this is perfect because this lube works to make the hair less thick as it grows back and easier to shave, leading to less irritation and razor bumps. I'm not going to go into much detail, but everything was smooth at the end of my shower. And for any guys reading this, this works wonders on your face as well. Imagine having no more razor bumps on your neck. Win! And it has a pre-shave and after shave built in, so you don't need a mess of things to do to your face. Fast and easy.

Cons: I did not care much for the cleansing oil. It kinda felt like it sat on top of my skin even after I rinsed it off.
Pros: However, I did like how I could use the cleansing oil around my eye area. It did not burn and it took almost all my eye makeup off. The oil and moisturizer were divine. They smelled really good too, I just can't pinpoint the scent. Plus, everything is infused with Omega 3,6,7 and 9. All are essential fatty acids that our body needs and are amazing for the skin.

Cons: The applicator is a little thicker than I was used to and so it was a little challenging to make a wing.
Pros: It has a rich black color and lasts all day. It is perfect for more dramatic thick liner looks, or your basic top liner line. Also, it is more compact than your everyday liner, so its ideal for travel or carrying it in your purse.

Cons: Absolutely nothing!
Pros: This is my first time using this stuff. And this is the 'you know what' (four letter word, starts with an 's' ends with a 't'). It is super smooth and not heavy on the face. And it really gets rid of my pores. I wore it yesterday for the first time and am wearing it today, and my makeup is lasting through the sweatiness of today. Amazing stuff! Go get it, seriously ha ha.

Cons: I wish it was more black, but...

Pros: ... it actually makes me look like I have lashes, so I'm a happy camper :). This thing is unbelievably clump free and separates my lashes. I like the spiked tip too, so that I was get the roots of my lashes and the outer corners for that wispy look. Despite the less-blackness, its a winner!

And that concludes the review and this post! I hope you all have a lovely day. I have a feeling mine is gonna turn around. I already feel better talking to you guys. 

Oh, and if you guys have not read my "Super Bag!" post, and are curious about it just go to the blog archive. All my other posts are there too incase you missed any.

What do you do to turn a bad day into a good one?

I hope you found this helpful!

Love always,

Nicole xo.

Here, Kitty Kitty!

Happy Tuesday!

So today I was planning out what make-up look to do and decided to do a cat eye look. Then I realized that I never showed you guys a tutorial on how to do it (Gasp). It is blasphemy. Well, I bring you salvation with this post. 

Many people think that the cat eye is very complicated, but it is actually really simple. Four steps and you have a show-stopping eye with very little effort. Watch. Everyone will be asking you how it is done. 

Let's get started, shall we?!

Step 1:

Choose your weapon eyeliner of choice. 

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner Pen in Trooper

Step 2:

Line the top lash line like normal.

Step 3:

Position the tip of your liner at the corner of your lashes and draw straight up from that point. A good tip is to use the outer corner of your lower lash line as the starting point, and the end of your brow as where you want the wing to go. I will show you...

Now you might think this looks weird, but just bare with me ha ha.

Step 4:

Draw from the end of the wing you just made back into the normal line you made at the very beginning. It will end up looking like a little triangle or an un-filled in wing.

(I made it obnoxiously big so you can see the blank triangle)

Step 5:

Fill in the space with liner, making sure everything is seamless. And then you get this...

I swear you will get perfect wings every time. And see how the start of the wing is lined up with my lower lash line? That is what you want. Feel free to being the wing out more or even less than I did. It's up to you. No matter what you will get that nice sultry look.

Here it is with all my makeup completed.

I chose to pair my liner with a bold lip, and some blue and green eyeshadow. But sometimes I do the whole Audrey Hepburn (love her!) thing and do neutral eyes and lips. That's what I love about the cat/winged eye. It is so versatile and conforms to individual taste. It is pretty much my go-to look when I wanna spice things up without having to go crazy.

Ever done a cat-eye before?

What is your go-to eye look?

Let me know in the comments below :)

Have a good night, everyone!

Nicole xo.

Faded

Hello, my lovelies! 

I hope your weekends were amazing and full of fun.

Mine was a tad busy, hence the lack in blogging. Not to worry though. I'm back baby and with treats :)

As you know the theme for the past weekend at Sephora was the 1920's. I showed you the first day I did it. It was more of a traditional flapper look. The next day I wanted a completely different look. I did not want to do the same thing over again. However the flapper look is very singular: dark, smokey eye with a dark lip. So I thought I'd modernize the look by doing and ombre lip and false lashes.

This is by far the coolest look I have ever done. It was my first time I had ever attempted to do ombre lipstick as well. Wanna know how to do it? Good. But I warn you this look causes the person wearing it to be extra sassy :) See?

For the lips I used five things. 

First I used a dark wine-y lip liner to pencil the shape of my lips and then filled them in only half way.

MAC Lip Liner in Vino

Then I just penciled around my lips with a black liner.

Urban Decay Eye Liner in Zero

Next I took a hot pink lip liner and filled in other half of my lips that I didn't fill in before.

MAC Lip Liner in Magenta

Lipstick time! I took a dark plum lipstick and filled in half way, and a tiny bit into the hot pink liner.

MAC Lipstick in Diva

 Leave the center of the lips alone. The plum lipstick also helps to blend the black liner into the purple color. For the center of the lips I took a hot, hot, hot pink lip stick and applied that to the very center of the top and bottom lips.

MAC Lipstick in Girl About Town

To blend all colors together seamlessly, I simply pressed my lips together a few times.

The last step is completely optional, however if you want good definition or are messy when lining lips, I highly recommend this step. Take a flat concealer brush and go around the lips with concealer. You will see how precise the lips will look.

And tada! You are done :) I smiled here to show the ombre better.

I hope you guys found this helpful :) And this can be done with all colors. Reds, nudes, pinks...whatever you prefer. It is definitely a nice way to spice up your look. Plus, ombre-ing is very popular at the moment. And in this case I say follow the crowd, because it is gorgeous. 

I will admit that this is a technique that will take you out of your comfort zone. Even I was a little intimidated to this. But honestly, it is fairly easy and I got many compliments on it. I re-did this to get pictures for you guys today and the second time around is much easier. So do not be discouraged. This faded look is 100% achievable.

Have you ever tried an ombre lip?

What makeup technique intimidates you?

Is there anything new you want to try with your makeup?

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

-Nicole xo