Beauty Tips and Tricks
10 Ways to Utilize Q-Tips in your Beauty Routine
Q-Tips: The Ultimate Beauty Tool
Yesterday I spent the day working as a rep for Q-Tips. The company has recently released 3 new vanity packs, that are cute enough to leave out on your counter. As makeup artists for the brand, we were only allowed to use Q-Tips to apply a full face of makeup! It was challenging but also really fun, and it got me thinking about the best ways to utilize Q-Tips in your own beauty routines!
1. Erase Mistakes
I use Q-tips mainly for quick and easy clean up, when I make mistakes. They are also great for when your mascara or eyeliner start to run. Just dab the Q-tip in a little bit of moisturizer or eye makeup remover and lightly run it over the mistake. Voila, it disappears completely!
2. Smudge Your Eyeliner For Perfect Smokey Eyes
The cotton head of the Q-tip is perfect for smudging your eye makeup to give you that sultry, smokey eye. Apply a black or grey eyeliner to your bottom eye-lid and use the Q-tip to smudge the line, making it less harsh, and ultra sexy.
3. Soften Harsh Lines and Colors
Ok, maybe you went a little overboard when trying out that new makeup look, but have no fear! Use a Q-tip to softly blend in a circular motion over dark, dense colors. The cotton picks up excess pigment and softens the harshness of your mistake. You can use this trick on your eyebrows, eyelids, lips, etc..
4. Prevent Bleeding Lipstick
Don’t you hate it when you apply a beautiful red lip, only to find that half-way through the day, the color has traveled past your lip line, and onto the rest of your face? Try dipping a Q-tip in a little bit of loose powder, and run it along the edge of your freshly applied lipstick. The powder acts as a barrier, keeping lipstick on your lips, and only your lips.
5. Highlight The Inner Corner of Your Eyes
Lately, I have really been into highlighting the inner corner of the eyes. I feel like it brightens the whole eye area and makes you seem awake. In order to pull off this little trick, you need a Q-tip to get in this hard to reach area. Dip the Q-tip into a shimmery eyeshadow or pigment and dot the color right at the corner of your inner eye. I prefer to do whites, golds and neutrals to keep it natural but experiment with different colors as well!
6. Clean Up Excess Nail Polish
I don’t know about you, but whenever I paint my nails I make a HUGE mess, I literally get polish everywhere! Whether you are as messy as I am, or if you only make tiny mistakes, they are easily fixable with Q-Tips! Dip the Q-tip in nail polish remover and rub away the errors. The small, precise tip makes it perfect for small details such as this.
7. On the Go Touch Ups
Keeping several Q-tips in your purse or backpack is a great way to ensure that you stay fresh all day. I use them to clean up my smudged mascara and bleeding lipstick (like mentioned above), but they are also great for when your eyeshadow starts to crease. If you find this happening, pull out a Q-tip and gently clean up wherever you see creasing, and you’re good to go! Also when wearing a smokey eye, do you ever get the black “goop” that travels the the inner corners of your eye? Swipe a Q-tip in the tear duct to clean it up in a hurry!
8. Dab on Some Concealer
The best way to cover up a zit is to dab it concealer and gently pat around the pimple to blend the cover-up into your skin. The only problem is, your fingers are not always clean and the bacteria you could be spreading to your face will only give you more zits. Use a Q-tip to dab the concealer on your blemish and blend with the soft edges of the cotton tip. Clean, sanitary and effective!
9. Perfect Your Liner
The only thing I love more than a regular Q-tip is a pointed Q-tip!! These babies can be an amazing tool to help you perfect a winged eye liner look. First, draw on your liner and bring it out past your eyes into the cat-eye shape. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly sharp or precise. Next, take your pointed Q-tip and dip it in a little bit of moisturizer. Use the sharp edge to perfect the shape, taking little bits off at a time until you have the cleanest, hottest cat-eye around!
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10. Apply Makeup in a Pinch!
Whether your brushes are dirty, or your heading straight to a fancy dinner from the office, Q-tips can be a great tool when you have to apply makeup in a pinch!
My main tip for applying your makeup with a Q-tip is to keep it simple! Dip one in a black eyeshadow and run it along your bottom lashes for a sexy smokey eye. Swipe a bright colored shadow along your eyelid for a fun and quick makeup look. Apply your eyeshadow with a wet Q-tip for a more dramatic color pay-off. Dip one in a sultry lip stain and swipe across your lips. Dot a liquid highlighter along your cheekbones and blend in for sexy shimmer. The possibilities are endless and easy! I don’t recommend applying lipgloss with it though! The cotton “hairs” get stuck everywhere and it becomes really messy. Trust me, I had to learn the hard way haha 
The New Vanity Packs!
Understated Beauty Tool
The Metal Eyelash Comb
Clumpy, thick, spider lashes are a beauty nightmare for most women. Old mascara can be the culprit, as well as application techniques, but don’t worry! Perfectly separated lashes are lot easier to achieve than you can imagine.
It’s much easier to prevent a mistake than to fix it, so follow these easy steps tips to get separated lashes every time:
1. Make sure your mascara is not expired
Mascara has the shortest shelf life out of all your makeup. 4 months is the maximum amount of time that you should keep your mascara tube around, and that is only if you take great care of it! Don’t pump the wand in and out because it forces air inside the tube, causing the mascara to dry out and become a bigger breeding ground for bacteria. Keep your mascara fresh and you will avoid dry clumpy eyelashes.
2. Wiggle It!
The magic is in the application. When applying your mascara, place the want at the base of the lashes and wiggle it left to right all the way up to the tip. The wiggle motion keeps the lashes separated.
3. Get rid of excess product on the wand.
When you pull the wand out of the tube, check it to make sure there is no excess product build up on it. Too much product on the wand will mean too much product on your lashes, and too much product on your lashes will result in clumpy-ness. Wipe excess mascara on a tissue, or on the rim of the tube to ensure you get just enough mascara on your eyelashes.
Ok, So You Missed a Step, Ignored a Rule or Used Old Mascara and Now Your Lashes are Thick, Clumpy Galore. What Now??
Meet your new best friend: The metal eyelash comb/separator!
You’ve probably seen or even owned a plastic eyelash comb. They come in most brush sets, but this one is a little different, and SO much better! The teeth are metal, which force them through the clumpy build-up of mascara coated to your lashes. Comb through two or three time and say good-bye to spider lashes! Seriously, it’s that easy! I use it a lot when my models sneak off to the bathroom to apply more mascara. They think they’re pulling a fast one on me but I’m not blind! haha Combing through their mess with this tool has saved many photo shoots.
Just BE CAREFUL! Sharp+Metal+Eyes= No Bueno.
Fun Fact! Julia Roberts uses a safety pin to separate her eyelashes when she applies her own mascara!! She brought this real-life detail to her character in Charlie Wilson’s War! Please don’t try this at home. A metal eyelash comb is much easier lol.
If only Tammy Faye had known about this magic wand…
Unexpected Beauty Item: Olive Oil
Taking Extra Virgin Olive Oil Out of the Kitchen
I am all about discovering unexpected beauty items in my kitchen, and with winter (slowly) approaching, it’s time to start thinking about how to protect our skin from the drying cold. Olive oil is not only great for cooking, but try slathering it on your body to receive tons of added bonuses!
1. Remove Makeup
Say you are staying the night at your man’s house, and have nothing to remove your eye makeup before bed. No worries, all you gotta do is book it to the kitchen and grab some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, pour it on a cotton ball and gently rub off your makeup. Go lightly at first because if you use too much, it could get in your eye and sting. I use this tip in a pinch and find that it works even better than most removers, especially when dealing with stubborn mascaras.
2. Moisturize Dry Spots
Olive Oil is an awesome moisturizer. Period. It’s all natural, contains no chemicals, has no unpleasant scent and is packed with antioxidants. If you suffer from dry, cracked heels, try rubbing some EVOO onto your feet before bed, cover with some socks, and wake up to smoother, softer heels. Sometimes I rub it on my face and chest before I go to sleep. It soaks in really fast, and leaves my skin feeling super moisturized in the morning. Try using Olive Oil to combat any dry spot, and notice how quick and efficiently it gets the job done!
3. Add it to your Bath
Add a few tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your bath, next time you have a night to yourself. It will give you a little extra softening power, and you will feel smooth and moisturized when you get out. Add some essential oils on top of it and you’ve got a night to remember haha 
4. Condition Your Hair
EVOO is amazing forgiving dry, damaged hair a little moisture and repair. Heat a cup of Olive Oil in the microwave and pour onto your head before your next shower. Massage the oil into your locks from root to tip, and cover with a plastic shower cap. Let the oil penetrate your hair for about half an hour, then rinse out. You might need to shampoo several times to get all the residue out, but it’s worth it because your hair will be so shiny and healthy when you’re done.
5. Soothe Chapped Lips
Because of the softening and moisturizing properties mentioned about, it is common sense that using Olive Oil on dry lips will do wonders for the chap. Rub in a small amount several times a day, and there’s no way your pucker will be dehydrated for long.
How To: Shape The Perfect Eyebrow
Megan Fox (The hair on her head is a bit of a mess but her eyebrows are
flawlessly groomed)
Shaping The Perfect Eyebrow For Your Face
It’s no secret that I am obsessed with eyebrows. More often than not, eyebrows are overlooked. Many women really underestimate the power of amazing eyebrows. I’ve already listed my picks for the best celebrity brows and now I’ll give you the steps to making your own eyebrows red carpet worthy.
Shaping-
Creating perfect shape can definitely be the most difficult part of your perfect eyebrow quest. “Do I tweeze, wax, thread, shave?” are the first questions that always come to mind. Personally I prefer tweezing, but please DO NOT shave your eyebrows. Ew.
If you decide to go the “do-it-yourself” route by tweezing, follow these easy steps to creating a great brow shape for your face!
1. Start noticing which type of brows you like. Looking through magazines, and watching celebrities are excellent ways to get references for your own eyebrows. Check out my list of Best Celebrity Eyebrows here for some great examples.
2. To start the shaping process you will need a brow comb, or spoolie, and a good pair of tweezers. Comb your brows to lay all the hair in one direction and smooth it out. If you have never shaped your eyebrows before, they might be a little out of control (I know mine were!), so this step is important.
3. Next, you need to determine where they start, where they end and where your arch should be. Take a look at the Megan Fox picture above. Line “A” shows you where your eyebrow should start. Take a pencil, or anything with a straight edge and align it straight from the corner of your nose up to your eyebrow. Wherever the pencil hits your brow is an indicator of where you eyebrow needs to start. However: Notice Megan’s eyebrow does not start where the line ends. Her eyes are more wide-set, so she can get away with having her eyebrows start closer it, and it even makes her eyes look closer together. Remember, beauty tips are not set in stone, if you feel that something may not look right on you, alter it!
4. Now, it’s time to see where you should place your arch. Take the same pencil and look straight ahead in a mirror. Align the pencil diagonally so that it starts at the corner of your nose, and skims the outside of your iris (not literally!). See Line “B” on Megan’s face. This is where your arch should be. When creating your arch, make sure you keep in mind what type of brow you are going for. Making too much of an extreme arch will make you look constantly mad or surprised.
5. To find out where your brow should end, take your pencil, start at the corner of your nose and place it diagonal, this time skimming the very outside corner of your eye. See Line “C.”
6. Now that you’ve got your dimensions down, it is time to start plucking! Hold your tweezers at a 45 degree angle and go to town. A good tip is to take a white eyeliner pencil (wet and wild makes a really cheap one, 99 cents), and trace an outline of how you want your brow to look. Then, whatever you do, do not pluck inside the white lines! If you want to forget the white pencil, start plucking random strays, making your way up to the brow. Go slow, and pull one by one. You might need to step back half way through and see how it looks from other angles. Don’t forget your uni-brow, if you have one!
Tip: DO NOT GET TOO CRAZY WITH IT! lol. The first time I held a pair of tweezers, I plucked my intense catapillar eyebrows into skinny, barely there worms. I thought it looked amazing at the time, but I was 10. Now, I’m still regretting that day because my eyebrows have taken years to grow back, and they still have much more work to do.
Some Things to Remember:
- If you have naturally thick, unruly eyebrows, it’s probably best to keep them full. If you make them too thin, you will have a hell of a time keeping up with it.
- If you’re new to tweezing, slanted tip tweezers will probably work best. You have more control and lessen the risk of pinching yourself.
- There is a myth out there that you shouldn’t pluck above your eyebrow. This is not true. Plucking above is as important as plucking below, if you need it.
- Make sure you have enough light!
- Do not overpluck!!
When Life Gives You Lemons..
Using Lemons As Part of Your Beauty Routine
My boyfriend and I got a random hair up our butts today to make homemade lemonade. I’m not sure why, maybe it was the 150 degree heat, maybe it was the huge bag of lemons on sale at Costco for $5 that peaked our curiosity, but the whole act inspired me to write about the benefits of lemons in the world of beauty..
Believe it or not, lemons can be used to provide many cheap and effective beauty treatments. Did anyone ever spritz their hair with lemon juice and sit in the sun with hopes blonder locks?? I spent many hours with this citrus juice on my head when I was young, and believe it or not it did work! Unfortunately, my dark haired lovelies should not try this at home because it could turn your hair orange.
Here are some other beauty rituals you can incorporate lemons into:
1. Lighten Dark/Ashy Elbows and Knees.
For some reason, elbows and knees can sometimes be a lot darker than the rest of your skin. Lemon are a natural bleach, and with some patience, they can help lighten the darkened areas. Simply cut a lemon in half and rub it on you elbows or knees twice a day. I’ve also heard that lemon juice can reduce the appearance of freckles and age spots!
2. Make Homemade Masks
My boyfriend was laughing at me today because while juicing, I started rubbing the rinds all over my face to see what it would do. He thought I was going crazy lol! I love finding natural, homemade skincare recipes, and am not afraid to test any fruit or veggie. Straight lemon juice might be too strong and acidic for sensitive skin, but mixing it with other items laying in your pantry will give you some awesome and cheap face masks!
Dry Skin: Mix lemon juice and honey together. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse off for a smoother, brighter complexion!
Oily Skin: Mix one egg and half a lemon together in a small bowl. Apply to face (avoiding the eyes!) and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove Blackheads
Lemons contain Alpha Hydroxy Acid, which is found in most acne medications. Cut a lemon in half and rub over any blackheads. If you have sensitive skin, try a light wash. Mix 1 part lemon juice with 3 parts water and splash on your face. Rinse it off and you will notice reduction of blackheads in several weeks.
4. Brighten Your Nails
Lemons act as a natural astringent, and can effectively whiten yellow or discolored nail beds. What you need to do is squeeze several lemons into a small bowl, insert fingertips and soak for 5-7 minutes. This little beauty regimen strengthens nails too. Added bonus!
So when life gives you lemons, mash them up and rub em’ on your face and elbows!
Back to School Beauty
Don’t Cake it On-
There is nothing worse than cake-face, and heavy foundations are the last thing you need to be concerned with when starting school. Sure, you might look bangin’ during first period, but as the day goes on, chances are you’ll start to melt, and wind up looking like a hot mess before you even make it to gym class. Instead, opt for lighter, oil-free foundation which will ensure that you look fresh all day. I am so not a fan of mineral makeup for photoshoots, but for everyday wear, they can be a great option. If you have good skin, tinted moisturizers are super light feeling, but give you enough sheer color to even out skin tone. Just dab concealer over blemishes and your good to go!
Prescriptives- Traceless Foundation
Keep it Fresh-
School days are loooong, and chances are the makeup you apply in the morning is not going to last you ’til the end of the day. If you have any after-school activities, you can pretty much forget about it. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to stay fresh all day long.
1. Blotting Sheets:
These little things can be a lifesaver on hot days. I tend to get really shiny on my t-zone. When I was in high school I would constantly take down shine with my Covergirl pressed powder compact ALL day long, and at the end of the day my face felt so gross and thick from piling product on it non-stop. Blotting sheets solve this problem. Just press it on any shiny spot and it absorbs oil, leaving your skin matte without applying any product! The best thing is they are so CHEAP. Elf carries a pack of 50 sheets for $1!!!! wtf?! I use these on set allll the time.
*Bonus Tip* If you are in a bind and all out of blotting sheets, book it to the nearest bathroom, rip a little piece off of a (clean) toilet seat cover and press it on your face. It does exactly the same thing, for free. I know… it sounds really weird and gross, but it totally works!
2. Primers
Using makeup primers are great ways to ensure you are getting enough longevity out of your makeup. I use primers for brides religiously because I am not always able to stay and make sure the makeup looks flawless all day. If a crazy bridezilla can keep her makeup fresh all day, I guarantee that you can too! I love Smashbox’s Photofinish Primer, it is a staple in my makeup kit. They also make a “light” version that is not as greasy as the original. Laura Mercier makes a great face primer as well. For eyes, I swipe Urban Decay’s Primer Potion on the eyelid before applying eyeshadow and it keeps the shadows from creasing all day. LOVE!
Smashbox- Photofinish Primer
3. Dry Shampoo-
I used to loathe gym class. Thinking about it still makes me nervous. My teacher used chase us on her mountain bike and threaten to “nip our heels” if we didn’t pick up the pace. Seriously, the bell could not ring fast enough, and when it did, I was sweaty, smelly, and my hair looked like crap.
Dry shampoo will save your life. Not really, but it is the perfect pick-me-up when your locks are not are luscious as they were 45 minutes ago. Spray or sprinkle the powder in your hair, brush it out and you can save yourself another day before washing. Use after gym, and your sweaty limp hair will be refreshed and ready for next period. I like and use Oscar Blandi’s Dry Shampoo (not the spray). Tigi just came out with a new one called Rockoholic. It’s pretty good and smells amazing, but the bottle doesn’t last very long.
*Bonus Tip* Baby powder is a super cheap way to soak up excess oils in your hair! Just make sure that you brush it all out ,or your hair will give off a gray hue and people might think you are prematurely aging. Not cute.
Prolong Your Summer Tan-
Everybody knows how bad tanning is for your skin, but let’s face it, it does not stop people from laying out. However you got your tan this summer, whether it be through frying in the sun, or slathering on self tanner, follow these steps to make sure your glow keeps rockin’ well into the school year.
1. Moisturize!-
Keeping your body moisturized will help prolong real tans as well as fake ones. Dry skin cracks, making your color fade much quicker. Lather on a moisturizer after you get out of the shower. Even better if it contains SPF!
2. Switch to Gradual Self-Tanners-
Once fall starts approaching, deep dark tans can scream fake. Switch to a gradual self-tanner and control the color of your skin. Gradual tanners also tend to look more natural and give you a subtle glow.
3. Bronzer-
Brush a little bronzer over your face for instant sun-kissed beauty. When applying bronzer, I like to only hit the spots of the face where the sun would normally touch: forehead, cheeks, chin and nose. Don’t go overboard or you can easily look dirty, not sun-kissed. I love NARS Laguna bronzer but N.Y.C makes an amazing bronzer for ridiculously cheap (like under $4)! It’s kind of an industry secret
N.Y.C Smooth Skin Bronzer
Multitask-
Products with multiple purposes make my life a little easier, and I’m sure that you will be able to reap the same benefits! Add a little glow to your cheeks and your lips! These products do double duty, saving you some precious morning time.
Stila- Convertible Color: Lillium is a natural color that will brighten you up and give you a fresh look.
Nars- The Multiple: These come in 12 amazing shades. They are a bit more expensive but SOO worth it.
Benefit- Benetint: Give your lips a rosy stain and your cheeks a sexy flush.
Fake It-
Chances are you’ve been sleeping in all summer. Getting back in the swing of things once school starts can definitely prove to be difficult. Follow these simple tricks to give yourself that well rested look, even though you feel like hell.
1. White/Nude Eyeliner
Line the rim of your eyes with a white eyeliner and they instantly appear wider and brighter! If you’re feeling that white is making you look a little dated, try nude. I love using a nude pencil on models and actors that didn’t get much sleep the night before, and they love me for it!
Stila- Kajal Eyeliner: Topaz (Apricot Nude)
2. Curl Your Eyelashes.
Using an eyelash curler can do wonders to make you look like you’ve got an easy 9 hours of sleep under your belt. Follow up with some mascara and you’re good to go!
3. Put a Little Color On Your Cheeks.
Adding color to your cheeks can make a world of difference to a dull complexion. It’s an instant pick me up brings life to your face. While you’re at it, dab some color on your lips too! (See “Multitask” Above).
DISCLAIMER: ALL PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED OFF OF MY OWN OPINION. I HAVE RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION OR INCENTIVE IN ANY WAY TO ENDORSE THESE PRODUCTS.
