I am always looking for the perfect shade of nude lipstick. I feel what might read as “nude” on  the tube may really come out as “mauve”, “pink”,or just plain “muddy”.  So, the other day when I needed a quick pick-me-up for my lips I decided to grab a random Maybelline lip-plumping lipstick that said it was “In The Nude”, I thought, “if its too pink, I don’t care because it was cheap anyway”.

Well, to my surprise it was actually what it said it was, NUDE.  Who knew? And as an added bonus it had a slight tingle, that gave my lips a little plump.  It moisturized them nicely too, and in the winter that’s a major plus.

So, thank you Maybelline for being affordable and honest, and for doing right by my lips!

I have recently had the pleasure of trying a royal line of lip wear, literally… Lipstick Queen has mastered the art of the perfect lipstick, as well as a variety of glosses, pencils, and everything else your lips could desire. Her majesty’s  textures come sheer to opaque, matte to high shine.  Poppy King, the creator of the line, has given her lipsticks two definitions based on Saint (sheers) and Sinner (opaques). Too cute!

I adore this line for the the rich, non-sticky feel. My lips are conditioned and luxurious when I wear it, almost like I have on a super rich balm, not your typical lip-shade. Love it!

If you are like me, a change of season calls for a change of  hair color. Example, I tend to go a bit darker in the cooler months and brighten up as it warms up. But you shouldn’t just change your hair color, you should also keep your lip color in mind as well.  Here are a few tips.

Brunettes : Sheer colors, nudes, and plum tones work best with darker hair.

Blondes: Fair haired beauties always look great in pastels (don’t forget a little bronzer ), pinks, and punchy reds.

Red: Lips stains are a nice subdued choice next to the vibrant hair color, as well as subtle peach tones, and rosy lip shades.

Economy got you down, and drab?.. Put a little color back into your life, and on your face, and I promise you’ll forget for a night that the rest of the world around you seems so glum.

Beauty trends aren’t falling into the black hole that seems to be taking over the rest of the world. Instead of following  trends of economic times and going for drab,  blah-ness, make-up artists are going in the opposite direction and giving women a sense of fantasy, and glamour to take them away from any sort of depressing reality.

To brighten up your outlook on your next night out:

Go for a power lip, and show  optimism with a bold red. Remember to leave the rest of the face minimal for this look.

 Or, get glitzy and flashback to glam-rock days with funky colored shadow.  Try Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes liners, paired with a beautiful high impact colored shadow, or alone under a thin black liner. or just layer up the colors with shadow, and be daring.

It’s that time of year again. Time to start brainstorming for that fashionista on your gifting list. Lucky for you, designers and cosmetic companies alike are combining beauty, fragrance and fashion together to create an accessory fit for a beauty queen.  Brands such as Dior, YSL, Marc Jacobs, Juicy Couture, Urban-Decay, Givenchy and more are offering these chic two in one gift-ables.

Whether she opens a sparkled ring with lip-gloss inside, or a bracelet containing her favorite fragrance, these items will not disappoint. Now, head out to your favorite beauty store and mark that fashionista off your list.

Not exactly. While the Black Lip has been famous in the past painted on the pale-skin, grunge-loving “Goth kids”. This year it has been spotted on some very famous runways.

Now this is not a fashion statement you want to make in a T-shirt and jeans. In fact, unless you’re working in a fashion based industry I recommend you steer clear of trying this trend until evening hours.  Keep in mind that unless you’re going to an event wearing couture you may not want to go for the full-on Black Lip.

 Here are some tips to help ease you into the trend:

FIRST – Keep the rest of your face makeup pretty muted. As with any bold lip, over doing your eyes and cheeks can make you look over made up. Keep eyes neutral with little to fine eyeliner and black mascara and make sure cheeks are bare to slightly highlighted.

SECOND – Start by lining lips with a clear, nude or (preferably) your favorite fall COLOR liner.  DO NOT LINE WITH BLACK LINER.  Trust me, black liner will not blend well and it will just be a nasty mess.

LAST -Apply YSL or favorite black lip-gloss or Sheer, next to black lipstick. Viola!